cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nucleation and growth during the chemical vapor deposition of diamond on SiO2 substrates

The early stages of microwave-plasma assisted CVD of diamond on fused silica and silicon substrates were investigated. Nucleation densities on fused silica were somewhat lower than on silicon; however, the diamond growth rates on fused silica were faster. These results suggest that the substrate alters the plasma chemistry near the substrate. Transmission electron microscopy showed a relatively smooth interface between the diamond grains and the SiO2 surface. At low nucleation densities, the growth kinetics on both substrates were linear (i.e., the average feature size was proportional to the deposition time), which indicates that the growth kinetics were initially controlled by reaction(s) at the growing diamond surfaces. The transition to nonlinear growth kinetics observed at higher nucleation densities was probably caused by mass-transport limits.
Pregnancy impairs baroreflex control of heart rate in rats: role of insulin sensitivity.

Recent studies in rabbits suggest that insulin resistance and reduced brain insulin contribute to impaired baroreflex control of heart rate (HR) during pregnancy; however, the mechanisms are unknow...
Humans (really) are animals: picture-book reading influences 5-year-old urban children's construal of the relation between humans and non-human animals

What is the relation between humans and nonhuman animals? From a biological perspective, we view humans as one species among many, but in the fables and films we create for children, we often offer an anthropocentric perspective, imbuing nonhuman animals with human-like characteristics. What are the consequences of these distinctly different perspectives on children’s reasoning about the natural world? Some have argued that children universally begin with an anthropocentric perspective and that acquiring a biological perspective requires a basic conceptual change (cf. Carey 1985). But recent work reveals that this anthropocentric perspective, evidenced in urban five-year-olds, is not evident in three-year-olds (Herrmann et al. 2010). This indicates that the anthropocentric perspective is not an obligatory first step in children’s reasoning about biological phenomena. In the current paper, we introduced a priming manipulation to assess whether five-year-olds’ reasoning about a novel biological property is influenced by the perspectives they encounter in children’s books. Just before participating in a reasoning task, each child read a book about bears with an experimenter. What varied was whether bears were depicted from an anthropomorphic (Berenstain Bears) or biological perspective (Animal Encyclopedia). The priming had a dramatic effect. Children reading the Berenstain Bears showed the standard anthropocentric reasoning pattern, but those reading the Animal Encyclopedia adopted a biological pattern. This offers evidence that urban five-year-olds can adopt either a biological or a human-centered stance, depending upon the context. Thus, children’s books and other media are double-edged swords. Media may (inadvertently) support human-centered reasoning in young children, but may also be instrumental in redirecting children’s attention to a biological model.
Individual, Organizational, and Community Interprofessional Competencies for Education, Training, and Practice in Health and Social Care

This article presents emergent core interprofessional competencies for health and social care developed through multiple qualitative approaches including literature review, extant data review, nominal group techniques, participant observation, and reliance on a variety of data sources. Core interprofessional competencies identified include: communication and interpersonal skills, systems based health practice, and professionalism. The proposed competencies are presented within a conceptual framework which integrates cultural theory, open systems theory, social cognitive theory and the Health Belief Model. Organizational and community competencies necessary to provide a supportive environment for patient centered interprofessional practice to flourish are also outlined.
The DExD/H box ATPase Dhh1 functions in translational repression, mRNA decay, and processing body dynamics

Translation, storage, and degradation of messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNAs) are key steps in the posttranscriptional control of gene expression, but how mRNAs transit between these processes remains poorly understood. In this paper, we functionally characterized the DExD/H box adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) Dhh1, a critical regulator of the cytoplasmic fate of mRNAs. Using mRNA tethering experiments in yeast, we showed that Dhh1 was sufficient to move an mRNA from an active state to translational repression. In actively dividing cells, translational repression was followed by mRNA decay; however, deleting components of the 5′–3′ decay pathway uncoupled these processes. Whereas Dhh1’s ATPase activity was not required to induce translational inhibition and mRNA decay when directly tethered to an mRNA, ATP hydrolysis regulated processing body dynamics and the release of Dhh1 from these RNA–protein granules. Our results place Dhh1 at the interface of translation and decay controlling whether an mRNA is translated, stored, or decayed.
A Comedy of Errors or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Sensibility-Invariantism about ‘Funny’

In this article, I argue that sensibility-invariantism about ‘funny’ is defensible, not just as a descriptive hypothesis, but, as a normative position as well. What I aim to do is to make the realist commitments of the sensibility-invariantist out to be much more tenable than one might initially think them to be. I do so by addressing the two major sources of discontent with sensibility-invariantism: the observation that discourse about comedy exhibits significant divergence in judgment, and the fact that disagreements about comedy, unlike disagreements about, say, geography, often strike us as fundamentally intractable.
Patterns of hydraulic architecture and water relations of two tropical canopy trees with contrasting leaf phenologies: Ochroma pyramidale and Pseudobombax septenatum.

Summary Many authors have attempted to explain the adaptive response of tropical plants to drought based on studies of water relations at the leaf level. Little attention has been given to the role of the xylem system in the control of plant water requirements. To evaluate this role, we studied the hydraulic architecture and water relations parameters of two tropical canopy trees with contrasting leaf phenologies: deciduous Pseudobombax septenatum (Jacq.) Dug and evergreen Ochromapyramidale (Cav. ex lamb) Urban, both in the family Bombacaceae. The hydraulic architecture parameters studied include hydraulic conductivity, specific conductivity, leaf specific conductivity, and Huber value. Water relations parameters include leaf water potential, stem and leaf water storage capacitance, transpiration, stomatal conductance, and vulnerability of stems to cavitation and loss of hydraulic conductivity by embolisms. Compared to temperate trees, both species showed a pattern of highly vulnerable stems (50% loss of conductivity due to embolism at water potentials less than 1 MPa) with high leaf specific conductivities. The vulnerability of xylem to water-stress-induced embolism was remarkably similar for the two species but the leaf specific conductivity of petioles and leaf-bearing stems of the evergreen species, Ochroma (e.g., 9.08 and 11.4 x 10m4 kg s-’ m-’ MPa-‘, respectively), were 3.4 and 2.3 times higher, respectively, than those of the deciduous species, Pseudobombax (e.g., 2.64 and 5.15 x 1O-4 kg s-t mm’ MPa-‘, respectively). A runaway embolism model was used to test the ability of Ochroma and Pseudobombax stems to maintain elevated transpiration rates during the higher evaporative demand of the dry season. The percent loss of leaf area predicted by the runaway embolism model for stems of Pseudobombax ranged from 5 to 30%, not enough to explain the deciduous phenology of this tree species without analysis of root resistance or leaf and petiole vulnerability to embolism.
Prolongation of canine renal allograft survival by combining tacrolimus with antimetabolic agents.

The synergistic combination of immunosuppressive drugs is thought to provide a better therapeutic index with fewer side effects than single-drug therapy. Tacrolimus (FK 506), an inhibitor of interleukin-2 (IL-2) synthesis, is a potent immunosuppressive agent that has various adverse effects including nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, diabetogenesis, and infectious complications.1 Experimental models have shown that antimetabolic agents are good candidates for combination with tacrolimus.2,3 Several antimetabolic agents, azathioprine (AZA), mizoribine (MIZ), mycophenolate mofetil (RS), and ethyl o-[N-(p-carboxyphenyl)carbamoyl]-mycophenolate (CAM), were tested alone and in combination with tacrolimus to determine if they could improve canine renal allograft survival. while reducing immunosuppression-related adverse events.
Hemispheric specialization in schizophrenics with perceptual aberration

Abstract Higher rates of left handedness and atypical lateralization in schizophrenics paired with findings of morphological abnormalities in cerebral asymmetry suggest that the normal patterns of hemisphere specialization for processing verbal and spatial information may be anomalous in schizophrenics. The small number of studies that have addressed this question have produced inconsistent findings and varied with subtype diagnosis, gender, type of task employed, task difficulty, and control of handedness. Conflicting research findings also may be due to confounding from the heterogeneity of the schizophrenic construct and variability in clinical symptoms across patients. The present study was designed to control for factors that may have confounded earlier studies. Because the study used perceptual measures, the relationship between symptoms of perceptual aberration and hemisphere advantages was examined using Chapman et al.'s (1978) Perceptual Aberration Scale (PAS). Fifteen male schizophrenic patients and 14 male controls were administered tachistoscopic letter and facial recognition go/no-go reaction time tasks. Left hemisphere advantages were found for both controls and schizophrenics on the letter task. Right hemisphere advantages were found for controls on the facial task but not schizophrenics. Instead, a strong negative correlation was found between schizophrenics' PAS scores and hemisphere advantages (r=−0.685, p
Tunneled ('Bridged') left anterior descending coronary artery in a newborn without clinical or morphologic evidence of myocardial ischemia

Tunneled epicardial coronary arteries have been presumed congenital in origin, but morphologic or angiographic documentation of myocardial bridging at birth is lacking. This report describes a 42-day-old infant with a lengthy tunneled left anterior descending coronary artery observed at necropsy that produced no apparent clinical cardiac dysfunction during life despite sinus tachycardia. These observations support the concept that myocardial bridges may be congenital in origin, and suggest length of tunneling and tachycardia may not be adverse factors for myocardial bridges in infancy.
Effects of topical corticosteroid administration on intraocular pressure in normal and glaucomatous cats.

Objective The objective of this study was to determine the effect of topical corticosteroid (CCS) therapy on intraocular pressure (IOP) in normal cats and cats with primary feline congenital glaucoma (FCG). Animals studied Five normal and 11 FCG cats were studied in two cohorts. Procedures IOP was measured by a single, masked observer, once daily, 3–5 days/week throughout the course of CCS treatment and for up to 11 days after treatment discontinuation. One eye per cat was randomly assigned for treatment twice daily with CCS; balanced salt solution (BSS) applied to the contralateral eye served as a control. Differences between eyes and between weeks of the study period were calculated for each cat. A positive response to CCS was defined as a consistent >15% or >25% higher IOP in the treated relative to control eye in normal and FCG cats, respectively. Results A total of 8 of 11 FCG cats responded to topical CCS after 1–5 weeks of treatment with an increase in IOP relative to the untreated eye (maximum IOP discrepancy of 56 mmHg). Two of five normal cats responded to topical CCS with an appreciable, but clinically unimportant increase in IOP in the treated eye (maximum IOP discrepancy of 6.4 mmHg). Conclusions Our data indicate that the incidence of steroid-induced IOP elevation in cats is lower than that of previously published feline studies. Cats with preexisting compromise in aqueous humor outflow may show a greater, clinically relevant response to topical CCS than normal cats.
Abstract 11878: Forty-Year Change in Coronary Heart Disease Mortality Among Working Aged Men and Women in Eastern Finland: The Role of Primary Prevention and Risk Factor Reduction

Introduction: In the late 1960s, Eastern Finland had the highest CHD mortality in the world. Community-based CVD prevention program - the North Karelia Project - was launched in 1972. This study aims to estimate the extent to which changes in the main CVD risk factors explain the decline in CHD mortality among working aged population in Eastern Finland. Methods: Predicted change in CHD mortality was estimated by a logistic regression model using risk factor data of 37,177 men and women aged 30-59 years who participated in CVD risk factor surveys conducted every five years since 1972. The latest FINRISK survey was done in 2012. Data on observed CHD mortality were obtained from the National Causes of Death Register. The register includes all deaths among Finnish citizens and the data is practically complete. Results: From early seventies (1969-1972) to 2012 CHD mortality decreased among men aged 35 to 64 years by 82% (from 643 to 118 per 100,000). Among women the decrease was 84% (from 114 to 17 per 100,000). During the same time period, the levels of major CVD risk factors, smoking prevalence, serum total cholesterol and blood pressure decline remarkably, except a small increase in serum cholesterol and diastolic blood pressure levels between 2007 and 2012. During the first ten years, changes in major risk factors explained nearly all of the observed mortality reduction (table). Since mid-1980s, observed reduction in mortality has been larger than predicted. In the last ten years about two thirds of the CHD mortality reduction was explained by changes in classical risk factors and one third by other factors, including secondary prevention and treatment of acute CHD events. Conclusion: Population based primary prevention and reduction in the levels of major risk factors are crucial in lowering of disease burden and mortality due to CHD. An additional gain can be achieved by secondary prevention among high risk individuals and by treatment of acute events.
STEM Integration in Middle School Life Science: Student Learning and Attitudes

In many countries around the world, there has been an increasing emphasis on improving science education. Recent reform efforts in the USA call for teachers to integrate scientific and engineering practices into science teaching; for example, science teachers are asked to provide learning experiences for students that apply crosscutting concepts (e.g., patterns, scale) and increase understanding of disciplinary core ideas (e.g., physical science, earth science). Engineering practices and engineering design are essential elements of this new vision of science teaching and learning. This paper presents a research study that evaluates the effects of an engineering design-based science curriculum on student learning and attitudes. Three middle school life science teachers and 275 seventh grade students participated in the study. Content assessments and attitude surveys were administered before and after the implementation of the curriculum unit. Statewide mathematics test proficiency scores were included in the data analysis as well. Results provide evidence of the positive effects of implementing the engineering design-based science unit on student attitudes and learning.
Longitudinal effects of ketamine on dendritic architecture in vivo in the mouse medial frontal cortex

A single subanesthetic dose of ketamine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, leads to fast-acting antidepressant effects. In rodent models, systemic ketamine is associated with higher dendritic spine density in the prefrontal cortex, reflecting structural remodeling that may underlie the behavioral changes. However, turnover of dendritic spines is a dynamic process in vivo, and the longitudinal effects of ketamine on structural plasticity remain unclear. The purpose of the current study is to use subcellular resolution optical imaging to determine the time course of dendritic alterations in vivo following systemic ketamine administration in mice. We used two-photon microscopy to visualize repeatedly the same set of dendritic branches in the mouse medial frontal cortex (MFC) before and after a single injection of ketamine or saline. Compared to controls, ketamine-injected mice had higher dendritic spine density in MFC for up to 2 weeks. This prolonged increase in spine density was driven by an elevated spine formation rate, and not by changes in the spine elimination rate. A fraction of the new spines following ketamine injection was persistent, which is indicative of functional synapses. In a few cases, we also observed retraction of distal apical tuft branches on the day immediately after ketamine administration. These results indicate that following systemic ketamine administration, certain dendritic inputs in MFC are removed immediately, while others are added gradually. These dynamic structural modifications are consistent with a model of ketamine action in which the net effect is a rebalancing of synaptic inputs received by frontal cortical neurons.
A REPLY TO "REPLY TO WEISS AND ROSENBERG"

The original criticisms of the work by Bush and White have yet to be addressed effectively.
Photoactive films of photosystem I on transparent reduced graphene oxide electrodes.

Photosystem I (PSI) is a photoactive electron-transport protein found in plants that participates in the process of photosynthesis. Because of PSI’s abundance in nature and its efficiency with charge transfer and separation, there is a great interest in applying the protein in photoactive electrodes. Here, we developed a completely organic, transparent, conductive electrode using reduced graphene oxide (RGO) on which a multilayer of PSI could be deposited. The resulting photoactive electrode demonstrated current densities comparable to that of a gold electrode modified with a multilayer film of PSI and significantly higher than that of a graphene electrode modified with a monolayer film of PSI. The relatively large photocurrents produced by integrating PSI with RGO and using an opaque, organic mediator can be applied to the facile production of more economic solar energy conversion devices.
Cease and Desist: Repression, Strategic Voting and the 2000 U.S. Presidential Election

Online political activism has rapidly increased over the past decade, forcing state authorities to adapt repressive strategies to handle this change. Few researchers, however, have explored hostile state reactions to unconventional online political activity and fewer still have tried to analyze the impacts of state repression on internet-based activism. In this article, we use data on strategic voting, which occurred during the 2000 U.S. presidential election, to examine two core concerns of social movements scholars: (1) the effects of repression on movement mobilization; and (2) the effects of repression on tactical choices. Our findings suggest that researchers must account for core technological and social features of the internet as an activist environment in explaining repression's effects in the twenty-first century. We argue that this is particularly true when researchers study activism that emerges and thrives online, as compared to activism that begins offline and migrates online at a later point.
Sidestream smoke exposure enhances rapidly adapting receptor responses to substance P in young guinea pigs.

Bonham, A. C., K. S. Kott, and J. P. Joad. Sidestream smoke exposure enhances rapidly adapting receptor responses to substance P in young guinea pigs. J. Appl. Physiol. 81(4): 1715–1722, 1996.—We d...
Deoxyuridine incorporation as a useful measure of methotrexate and metoprine uptake and metabolic effectiveness.

This paper contrasts the inhibition of deoxyuridine incorporation by the lipid-soluble antifolate, DDMP, and methotrexate in the human lymphoblastoid cell line, WIL-2. It shows how deoxyuridine incorporation can be used as an indirect tool for assay of drug uptake and facilitates interpretation of experiments with labeled drugs. Whereas 1 µM methotrexate takes 15-30 minutes to maximally inhibit deoxyuridine incorporation, DDMP maximally inhibits incorporation within five seconds of addition to the cell culture. These protocols expand the potential of deoxyuridine-based assays in analysis of antifolate action and may be useful for in vitro testing of potential tumor responses to antifolates.
Just & Unjust War, Uses of Force & Coercion: An Ethical Inquiry with Cyber Illustrations

The emergence of cyber means and methods of war, force, and coercion raises ethical questions under just war theory different from those historically generated by the development of ever more destructive instruments of war. Whether in armed conflict or contexts not considered war, cyber technologies create political and ethical incentives for their use. However, this attractiveness poses potential risks and dangers that, at present, are largely speculative but invite more ethical deliberation. Unfortunately, the convergence of political and ethical incentives on cyber in a context of increasing geopolitical competition and conflict make the prospects for ethical consensus on just and unjust cyber coercion, force, and war unlikely.
Material dispersion by oceanic internal waves

Internal gravity waves that are generated in the open ocean have a universal frequency spectrum, called Garrett–Munk spectrum. By initializing internal waves that satisfy the Garrett–Munk spectrum in a non-hydrostatic numerical model, we investigate the material dispersion produced by these internal waves. Three numerical experiments are designed: Exp.-1 uses a linearly stratified fluid, Exp.-2 has an upper mixed layer, and Exp.-3 incorporates a circular front into the upper mixed layer. Resorting to neutrally buoyant particles, we investigate the dispersion in terms of metrics of the relative dispersion and finite-scale Lyapunov exponent (FSLE). Exp.-1 shows that the dispersion regime produced by these internal waves is between ballistic and diffusive based on relative dispersion, and is however ballistic according to FSLE. The maximum FSLE at scales of 100 m is about 5 day $$^{-1}$$ , which is comparable to that calculated using ocean drifters. Exp.-2 demonstrates that internal waves can generate flows and material dispersion in an upper mixed layer. However, when mixed layer eddies are present, as in Exp.-3, the dispersion in the mixed layer is controlled by the eddies. In addition, we show that inertial oscillations do not affect the relative dispersion, but impact FSLE at scales of inertial oscillations.
Verbal vs Non-Verbal Cognitive Outcomes at 3 Years after Fetal AED Exposure

Verbal and non-verbal cognitive abilities were assessed at 3 years of age in 216 children exposed in utero to commonly used antiepileptic drugs.
Structural Analysis Reveals Features of Ribosome Assembly Factor Nsa1/WDR74 Important for Localization and Interaction with Rix7/NVL2

Ribosome assembly is a complex process that requires hundreds of essential assembly factors, including Rix7 (NVL2 in mammals) and Nsa1 (WDR74 in mammals). Rix7 is a type II double ring, AAA-ATPase, which is closely related to the well-known Cdc48/p97. Previous studies in Saccharomyces cerevisiae suggest that Rix7 mediates the release of Nsa1 from nucleolar pre-60S particles; however, the underlying mechanisms of this release are unknown. Through multiple structural analyses we show that S. cerevisiae Nsa1 is composed of an N-terminal seven-bladed WD40 domain followed by a lysine-rich C terminus that extends away from the WD40 domain and is required for nucleolar localization. Co-immunoprecipitation assays with the mammalian homologs identified a well-conserved interface within WDR74 that is important for its association with NVL2. We further show that WDR74 associates with the D1 AAA domain of NVL2, which represents a novel mode of binding of a substrate with a type II AAA-ATPase.
Perspectives on Government Regulation

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 mandates that no worker should “suffer material impairment of health or functional capacity” from toxic chemicals in the workplace. In hearings on the Act, individuals from a variety of organizations testified that control of exposure to and monitoring of thousands of substances were necessary for workers’ safety. In 1978, one study estimated that occupational exposure to toxic substances accounted for about twenty percent of all cancer cases (Bridbord, Decoufle, Fraumeni, Hoel, Hoover, Rall, Saffiotti, Schneiderman, and Upton, 1978). An industry-commissioned critique of that study by the University of Texas School of Public Health concluded that the estimate was roughly accurate (Stallones and Downs, undated). Yet, only twenty-one chemicals had been completely regulated by 1981. Unions, some academics, and public-interest groups argued persuasively that workers’ health had been traded off for business’s stability and convenience.
Necessary but not sufficient: the role of energy efficiency in industrial sector low-carbon transformation

As the primary means for growth and development over the past two centuries, industry has played a central role in generating our current Anthropocene. The increasing impacts of climate change bring industry to the fore as the largest emitter of greenhouse gases and as a potential manufacturer of transformational technologies and infrastructure. While energy efficiency improvements are driving industrial sector emissions and cost reductions, additional switching away from fossil fuels and capture of carbon emissions is needed for climate stabilization.
Who likes to be reachable? Availability preferences, weak ties, and bridging social capital

In this paper, we investigate how individual differences in availability preferences are related to (1) self-reported quality of interaction with strong and weak ties and (2) perceptions of bridgin...
Legal Rhetoric and the Ambiguous Shape of the King’s Two Bodies in Calvin’s Case (1608)

This essay examines how Francis Bacon’s speech in Calvin’s Case (1608) and Edward Coke’s report on the case engage with the doctrine of the king’s two bodies. While both texts portray the subject a...
Visual queries, visual thinking and data visualization

The visual query is a basic component of all analytic seeing and understanding visual queries is an essential part of the design of information visualizations. Simply put, a visual query is a process whereby a problem is addressed through a pattern search. It is an analytic visual act of seeing. For example, the visual queries for finding routes on a road map involve discovering connected lines connecting two map locations. A visual query on a weather map might be as simple as discovering the temperature by matching a color to a temperature key, or as complex as understanding the pattern of winds at a weather front. This talk will give an overview of the way visual queries fit within the visual thinking process as well as a look at the how designs can be optimized with visual queries in mind.
The relationship between cavum septum pellucidum and psychopathic traits in female offenders

Abstract Cavum Septum Pellucidum (CSP) is a common anatomical variant of the septum pellucidum. CSP is considered a marker for abnormal limbic brain development, but its functional consequences are non-specific. In a recent report (Crooks et al., 2018), CSP size was significantly positively correlated with the affective/interpersonal traits of psychopathy in male offenders (N = 1742). Here we test the hypothesis that CSP is related to psychopathic traits in incarcerated females (N = 355). We examine continuous relationships as well as categorical assignments for CSP size corresponding to a number of prior reports. We also compare female offenders to healthy female controls (N = 385). Consistent with our reported findings in males, a positive association was observed between the interpersonal psychopathic traits and CSP size. In contrast to findings among males, an association between CSP and antisocial psychopathic traits was apparent in females. There was no significant difference in CSP size (in mm) or CSP presence/absence between incarcerated and non-incarcarated groups. However, categorical rates of medium and large CSP were more common in female inmates than in controls. This is the first systematic investigation of these variables in a female inmate sample. In combination with our prior study, these findings demonstrate that limbic abnormalities, as indexed by CSP, are related to psychopathic traits in both female and male inmates.
Multisystemic therapy for conduct problems in youth.

Multisystemic Therapy (MST; Henggeler, Schoenwald, Borduin, Rowland, & Cunningham, 1998, 2009) is a comprehensive family- and community-based treatment for youth with serious conduct problems who are at imminent risk of out-of-home placement (e.g., detention, incarceration, residential treatment). The effectiveness of MST has been established with chronic and violent juvenile delinquents and substance abusing youth. Adapted versions of the MST model have also been successfully applied to youth with other clinical problems, such as problem sexual behavior, psychiatric disturbance, and pediatric chronic illness. This chapter outlines the theoretical and empirical foundations of MST and provides a brief overview of the MST treatment model. A case example is used to illustrate the clinical aspects of the MST approach. The remainder of the chapter summarizes the growing evidence base for MST established through efficacy, effectiveness, and transportability trials.
Ethnic, Cultural, and Gender Issues in Conducting Caregiver Educational and Support Groups

Ethnicity, culture, and gender are variables that give meaning to the group experience as they provide a lens through which the group is perceived. Each can influence an individual’s decision to join such a group as well determine the impact of the group. With the increasing diversity of society and the expansion of caregiver groups, it is critical to understand the roles that these factors can play in the group experience. This chapter discusses the ways in which ethnicity, culture, and gender can impact on caregiver education and support groups. In order to depict the role of these factors in groups, the author describes their impact and effects in empowerment groups for grandparent caregivers, a specific type of education and support group developed by the author for grandparents raising their grandchildren (Cox, 2000).
Assessment of Submarine Antennas for Millimeter-Wave Satellite Communication

This communication examines the theoretical basis for estimating the maximum gain of proposed millimeter-wave antenna systems when the space available for such antennas in the submarine mast is fixed. Limits derived in Harrington's classic paper are found to be applicable. The role of the gain-bandwidth product in assessing the system performance is also discussed.
Mechanisms of abiotic horizontal gene transfer: Comment on “Lightning-triggered electroporation and electrofusion as possible contributors to natural horizontal gene transfer” by Tadej Kotnik

Results suggestive of horizontal (lateral) gene transfer, attributed at the time to mutations, have been published since early 20th century [3]. Recent advances in gene sequencing technology have set on solid ground the idea that horizontal (lateral) gene transfer (HTG) is an important factor in evolution [10,11]. There is an increasing interest in this phenomenon [4,8,12], which is now thought to be largely responsible for the growing number of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the world [23]. In this issue, Kotnik, has developed a convincing hypothesis that lightning induced electroporation and electrofusion could be a mechanism for abiotic horizontal gene transfer [13]. Electroporation and electrofusion, described in detail in [13], are mechanisms that involve the application of certain electric fields across a cell and the consequent formation of defects in the cell membrane. These defects can be reversible or irreversible. Reversible electroporation is commonly used for gene transfection and cell fusion while irreversible electroporation is used for cell ablation [13]. Lightning produces a range of electric fields that include those for reversible electroporation, irreversible electroporation and fusion. It is reasonable to assume that microorganisms and viruses exposed to lightning could be exposed to a combination of electric fields that will produce abiotic horizontal gene transfer, as suggested by Kotnik [13]. In fact, the group of Rafael Lee has shown that lightning can cause irreversible electroporation injury to tissue [1,14]. The idea that lighting can cause abiotic lateral gene transfer is somewhat reminiscent of the idea of abiogenesis and the classical experiment of Miller and Urey [17,18]. Could other mechanisms proposed for abiogenesis be also involved in abiotic gene transfer? The clay hypothesis for abiogenesis proposed by Cairns-Smith [2] or the Wachtershauser [7] hypothesis for an iron sulfur world or Mulkidjanian’s [16] hypothesis of the Zn-world theory leads to thinking about micro and nano electroporation [5,6]. Clays and pyrite are structures with local electric charges. We have shown that when cells pass across surfaces with charges separated by nanometer distances the electric fields that are produced are sufficient to cause electroporation and electrolysis induced reversible and irreversible poration of the cell membrane [20,21]. We have also shown that it is sufficient for only part of the cell membrane to be exposed to electroporation fields for electroporation to occur [5,6]. Fig. 1 illustrates the electric field that would develop across a cell membrane when the cell flows across a substrate in which two small charges with a potential difference of 0.1 V are separated by a 100-nanometer gap. Even in the absence of native charges, an electrolytic process
Shear bond strength of oil well cement in carbonic acid environment

Abstract Shear Bond Strength (SBS) is an important property of cement that determines the life of oil and gas wells. This paper presents the results of an experimental study on the effect of carbonation on the SBS of cement under high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) condition. The study is aimed at examining the effects of CO2 concentration, temperature, and pressure on SBS of cement containing 35% of silica flour. The study was conducted by aging two types of specimens (i.e. cement cores and SBS samples made of steel pipe and cement). After curing, the specimens were aged for 14 days in an autoclave. The autoclave was 80% filled with brine saturated with mixed gas containing CO2 and CH4. Aging pressure (21–62 MPa), temperature (38–221 °C) and CO2 concentration (10–100% CO2) were varied. After aging, the specimens were recovered, and their SBS, porosity and mineralogical composition were determined to assess the level of carbonation and degradation. To identify the most dominant factor affecting the SBS of cement, measurements were analyzed applying the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) method. The analysis showed that temperature has a more prominent effect on the carbonation process than pressure and CO2 concentration. Furthermore, results showed strong interaction effect among the main influential factors (pressure, temperature and CO2 concentration). SBS increased with the carbonation. Medium-range temperatures (107 and 177 °C) caused high levels of carbonation as manifested by huge improvement in SBS and a significant reduction in porosity after exposure to a carbonic acid environment.
Development of a flow-through USP 4 apparatus drug release assay for the evaluation of amphotericin B liposome.

Abstract AmBisome® is a liposomal formulation of amphotericin B (Amp B), a complex parenteral antifungal product with no US FDA approved generic version available to date. For generic Amp B liposomal product development, examination of the drug release profile is important for product quality control and analytical comparability evaluation with the reference listed drug. Yet, there is no standardized in vitro drug release (IVR) assay currently available for Amp B liposomes. In this study, we describe the development of a USP-4 apparatus-based IVR assay capable of discriminating liposomal Amp B formulations based on the drug release profile. The goal of the IVR assay development was to identify release media compositions and assay temperatures capable of facilitating 70–100% of drug release from AmBisome® in 24 h without Amp B precipitation or disruption of liposome structure. We found that an addition of 5% w/v of γ-cyclodextrin to the release media of 5% sucrose, 10 mM HEPES, and 0.01% NaN3 (pH = 7.4) prevented Amp B precipitation and facilitated drug release. Increased IVR assay temperature led to increased drug release rate, and 55 °C was selected as the highest temperature that induced drug release close to our target without causing product precipitation. The developed IVR assay was used to discriminate between drug release rates from AmBisome® and micellar Amp B products like Fungizone® and Fungcosome. The IVR assay was also capable of discriminating between Amp B liposomes with the same composition as AmBisome® but prepared by either extrusion or homogenization processes, both of which resulted in measurable liposomal particle size heterogeneity and Amp B concentration differences. Finally, the USP-4 IVR assay was used to compare Amp B release profiles between AmBisome® and two generic products approved in India, Amphonex® (Bharat Serums and Vaccines Ltd.) (f2 = 66.3) and Phosome® (Cipla Ltd.) (f2 = 55.4). Taken together, the developed USP-4 IVR assay can be a useful tool for drug release profile characterization in generic liposomal Amp B formulation development.
Lessons from 30 years of population viability analysis of wildlife populations

Population viability analysis (PVA) has been used for three decades to assess threats and evaluate conservation options for wildlife populations. What has been learned from PVA on in situ populations are valuable lessons also for assessing and managing viability and sustainability of ex situ populations. The dynamics of individual populations are unpredictable, due to limited knowledge about important factors, variability in the environment, and the probabilistic nature of demographic events. PVA considers such uncertainty within simulations that generate the distribution of likely fates for a population; management of ex situ populations should also take into consideration the uncertainty in our data and in the trajectories of populations. The processes affecting wildlife populations interact, with feedbacks often leading to amplified threats to viability; projections of ex situ populations should include such feedbacks to allow for management that foresees and responds to the cumulative and synergistic threats. PVA is useful for evaluating conservation options only if the goals for each population and measures of success are first clearly identified; similarly, for ex situ populations to contribute maximally to species conservation, the purposes for the population and definitions of sustainability in terms of acceptable risk must be documented. PVA requires a lot of data, knowledge of many processes affecting the populations, modeling expertize, and understanding of management goals and constraints. Therefore, to be useful in guiding conservation it must be a collaborative, trans-disciplinary, and social process. PVA can help integrate management of in situ and ex situ populations within comprehensive species conservation plans.
Etiology and Diagnosis of Gastric Outlet Obstruction

Gastric outlet obstruction is not its own disease process but instead a clinical diagnosis associated with bloating, early satiety, and a general feeling of fullness. This results from a mechanical obstruction of the stomach or immediately distal to the stomach in the duodenum. Historically, the majority of gastric outlet obstruction cases were secondary to poorly controlled peptic ulcer disease (S Ian Gan, FRCP(C), Gastric outlet obstruction in adults, http://www.uptodate.com: UpToDate [updated 05/27/2016; cited 2017 05/03/2017], 2016). With the discovery of the bacteria Helicobacter pylori in 1982 by Australian doctors Barry Marshall and Robin Worth, the incidence of long-term complications from peptic ulcer disease has dramatically fallen (Lichtman, Oncologist 22:542, 2017). For this discovery, they were awarded the Noble Prize in Medicine in 2005. Since that time, obstruction secondary to peptic ulcer disease has dramatically fallen and has been overtaken by malignancy as the primary cause (Poruk and Wolfgang, Surg Oncol Clin N Am 25(2):327–37, 2016). This chapter will explore the current causative spectrum of gastric outlet obstruction and explore tools useful for diagnosis, including noninvasive and invasive modalities.
Altered Biodistribution and Tissue Retention of Nanoparticles Targeted with P-Glycoprotein Substrates

Low molecular weight substrates of the efflux transporter, P-glycoprotein, alter the biodistribution and tissue retention of nanoparticles following intravenous administration. Of particular interest is the retention of the targeted nanoparticles in the brain. Drug delivery to the brain is hindered by the restricted transport of drugs through the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Drugs that passively diffuse across the BBB also have large volumes of distribution; therefore, alteration of their biodistribution to increase their concentration in the brain may help to enhance efficacy and reduce off-target side effects. In this work, targeted nanoparticles were used to explore a new approach to target drugs to the brain—the exploitation of the P-glycoprotein efflux pump. The retention of nanoparticles containing a strong P-glycoprotein substrate, rhodamine 6G, tethered to a PLA nanoparticle through a PEG spacer was greater than twofold relative to untargeted nanoparticles and to nanoparticles tethered to a weaker P-glycoprotein substrate, rhodamine 123. In a P-glycoprotein knockout mouse model (mdr1a (-/-)), there were no significant differences in brain accumulation between rhodamine 6G-targeted particles and controls, strongly supporting the role of P-glycoprotein. This proof of concept report shows the potential applicability of low molecular weight P-gp substrates to alter nanoparticle biodistribution. The efficacy of medicines can be improved by diverting drugs to specific tissues. Finding new ways to target medicines to diseased tissue is an active area of research across disciplines. Drug-loaded nanoparticles, delivered to tissues of interest, are one way to accomplish this goal. The work reported in this manuscript explores the possibility of using small molecules to get nanoparticles to bind to a drug efflux pump, P-glycoprotein (P-gp), that is present in various tissues in the body. P-gp functions to remove drugs from tissues, and it is usually considered a hindrance to drug targeting. The research in this paper shows that the natural function of P-gp can be used favorably to retain nanoparticles in various tissues. The data reported in this manuscript serves to establish a proof-of-concept that low molecular weight P-gp substrates can be used to alter the biodistribution of nanoparticles. Future work includes (1) understanding the targeting mechanism(s) that lead to these results, (2) identifying FDA-approved drugs that can target nanoparticles, and (3) evaluating how nanoparticle biodistribution is altered by using P-gp substrates with different binding constants.
NPC1161B, an 8-Aminoquinoline Analog, Is Metabolized in the Mosquito and Inhibits Plasmodium falciparum Oocyst Maturation

Malaria is a major global health threat, with nearly half the world's population at risk of infection. Given the recently described delayed clearance of parasites by artemisinin-combined therapies, new antimalarials are needed to facilitate the global effort toward elimination and eradication. NPC1161 is an 8-aminoquinoline that is derived from primaquine with an improved therapeutic profile compared to the parent compound. The (R)-(-) enantiomer (NPC1161B) has a lower effective dose that results in decreased toxic side effects such as hemolysis compared to the (S)-(+)-enantiomer, making it a promising compound for consideration for clinical development. We explored the effect of NPC1161B on Plasmodium falciparum oocyst and sporozoite development to evaluate its potential transmission-blocking activity viz. its ability to cure mosquitoes of an ongoing infection. When mosquitoes were fed NPC1161B 4 days after P. falciparum infection, we observed that total oocyst numbers were not affected by NPC1161B treatment. However, the sporozoite production capacity of the oocysts was impaired, and salivary gland sporozoite infections were completely blocked, rendering the mosquitoes non-infectious. Importantly, NPC1161B did not require prior liver metabolism for its efficacy as is required in mammalian systems, suggesting that an alternative metabolite is produced in the mosquito that is active against the parasite. We performed liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)/MS analysis of methanol extracts from the midguts of mosquitoes fed on an NPC1161B (434.15 m/z)-treated blood meal and identified a compound with a mass of 520.2 m/z, likely a conjugate of NPC1161B or an oxidized metabolite. These findings establish NPC1161B, and potentially its metabolites, as transmission-blocking candidates for the treatment of P. falciparum.
Cardiovascular Effects of Energy Drinks in the Pediatric Population.

ABSTRACT Consumption of energy drinks in the pediatric population is correlated with more emergency department visits and causes adverse reactions, such as neurological, psychiatric, gastrointestinal, renal, and cardiovascular effects. These cardiovascular complications include increased cardiometabolic risk with high intake of sugar, short-term blood pressure increases and a decrease in cerebral blood flow due to the caffeine content, increased or decreased blood pressure from taurine, unmasked cardiac conditions, such as channelopathies, and atrial and ventral fibrillations. Cardiovascular complications can also arise when energy drinks are mixed with pharmaceutical drugs, such as amiodarone, potent CYP1A2 inhibitors, warfarin, digoxin, or corticosteroids. Combining energy drinks with alcohol also precipitates adverse cardiovascular events, posing a risk to the health of children and adolescents. This review further explores the ingredients in energy drinks and their mechanism of action in causing these cardiovascular complications.
He's Overqualified, She's Highly Committed: Gender, Qualifications, and Perceptions of Commitment

Hiring managers make inferences from signals to determine if job candidates are capable and committed to performing the job to which they are applying to work. Building on how prior research has sp...
Nonopioid, Multimodal Analgesia as First-line Therapy After Otolaryngology Operations: Primer on Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs):

ObjectiveTo offer pragmatic, evidence-informed advice on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as first-line therapy after surgery. This companion to the American Academy of Otolaryngology–...