cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transporter reversal as a mechanism of glutamate release from the ischemic rat cerebral cortex: studies with dl-threo-β-benzyloxyaspartate

Abstract Elevated levels of the excitotoxic amino acids, glutamate and aspartate, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of neuronal injury and death induced by cerebral ischemia. This study evaluated the contribution of reversed high-affinity, Na+-dependent, glutamate transport to the ischemia-evoked release of glutamate and aspartate using dl -threo-β-benzyloxyaspartate ( dl -TBOA), a newly developed competitive, non-transported blocker of the EAAT 1–3 transporters. Changes in the extracellular levels of these and other amino acids, and of glucose and lactate in cerebral cortical superfusates during four-vessel occlusion-elicited global cerebral ischemia were examined using a cortical window technique. Basal and ischemia-evoked amino acid, glucose and lactate efflux were compared in control versus dl -TBOA (100 μM; applied topically for 35 min prior to ischemia) animals. Twenty minutes of ischemia caused large increases in aspartate, glutamate, GABA and taurine effluxes into cortical superfusates, with non-significant effects on the efflux of glycine, glutamine, alanine and serine. Application of dl -TBOA caused a 2-fold increase in basal, preischemic, extracellular glutamate levels, but did not affect those of the other compounds. In the presence of dl -TBOA, ischemia-evoked release of aspartate, glutamate, taurine and glutamine was significantly reduced; that of the other amino acids was not affected. The ischemia-evoked declines in glucose were significantly attenuated, and lactate release was enhanced above that in control animals. The amino acid data are interpreted as indicating that aspartate and glutamate releases were reduced as a consequence of dl -TBOA inhibition of reversed transport by high-affinity, Na-dependent carriers, predominantly involving the glial EAAT 2 transporter. The reduction in ischemia-evoked taurine release is interpreted as being due to a decrease in cell swelling prior to and during the initial phase of ischemia due to reduced entry of the Na+, and other ions, associated with a decreased glutamate uptake. Glucose-sparing and availability for lactate formation would also result from a reduced glutamate/Na+ uptake. These results indicate that reversed transport, primarily from glial cells by the EAAT 2 carrier, is responsible for a substantial (42 and 56%) portion of the ischemia-evoked increase in extracellular glutamate and aspartate levels, respectively. As a potent, competitive, non-transported blocker of high-affinity, Na+-dependent, glutamate transporters, dl -TBOA promises to be a valuable new compound for the study of glutamatergic mechanisms.
Quantification of model form uncertainty in the calculation of solar diffuse irradiation on inclined surfaces for building energy simulation

Traditional uncertainty quantification (UQ) in the prediction of building energy consumption has been limited to the propagation of uncertainties in model input parameters. Models by definition ignore, at least to some degree, and, in almost all cases, simplify the physical processes that govern the reality of interest, thereby introducing additional uncertainty in model predictions that cannot be captured as input parameter uncertainty. Quantification of this type of uncertainty (which we will refer to as model form uncertainty) is a necessary step towards the complete UQ of model predictions. This paper introduces a general framework for model form UQ and shows its application to the widely used sky irradiation model developed by Perez et al. [1990. “Modeling Daylight Availability and Irradiance Components from Direct and Global Irradiance.” Solar Energy 44 (5): 271–289], which computes solar diffuse irradiation on inclined surfaces. We collected a data set of one-year measurements of solar irradiation ...
Improvement of miceobead cracking catalyst manufacture

In order to improve the manufacturing process for KMTsR microbead catalyst for use in new cracking units, the authors consider the method of increasing the content of aluminum oxide in its amorphous part. A microbead catalyst of zeolite, containing rare-earth elements of the KMTsR type was obtained by spray-drying a slurry prepared by mechanical dispersion of hydrogel beads, with the subsequent molding and processing operations the same as in the production of bead catalyst.
Psychotherapy Supervision and Attachment Theory: Review, Reflections, and Recommendations

As a perspective on close relationships, attachment theory has been meaningfully used to stimulate understanding of parent-child, romantic partner, and even psychotherapeutic relationships. But how useful is attachment theory in stimulating understanding of the psychotherapy supervision relationship? In this article, we examine that question by (1) reviewing the primary conceptual/practical works where an attachment-informed vision of supervision has been proposed; (2) reviewing the limited empirical studies that have in some way addressed attachment concepts in supervision; and (3) considering what implications might be drawn from those conceptual/practical and research works. Based on our study and reflection, we propose and offer some discussion of the following ideas: (1) the psychotherapy supervisee-supervisor relationship, while having the potential to develop into an attachment bond, might best be viewed as involving an affective component that leads to the evoking of attachment dynamics (rather th...
Reflected Brownian motion with skew symmetric data in a polyhedral domain

This paper is concerned with the characterization and invariant measures of certain reflected Brownian motions (RBM's) in polyhedral domains. The kind of RBM studied here behaves like d-dimensional Brownian motion with constant drift μ in the interior of a simple polyhedron and is instantaneously reflected at the boundary in directions that depend on the face that is hit. Under the assumption that the directions of reflection satisfy a certain skew symmetry condition first introduced in Harrison-Williams [9], it is shown that such an RBM can be characterized in terms of a family of submartingales and that it reaches non-smooth parts of the boundary with probability zero. In [9], a purely analytic problem associated with such an RBM was solved. Here the exponential form solution obtained in [9] is shown to be the density of an invariant measure for the RBM. Furthermore, if the density is integrable over the polyhedral state space, then it yields the unique stationary distribution for the RBM. In the proofs of these results, a key role is played by a dual process for the RBM and by results in [9] for reflected Brownian motions on smooth approximating domains.
Stabilization of CCl3F hydrate by air or carbon dioxide.

Summary The decomposition temperature of CCl3F hydrate can be increased from 8.6°C–18.3°C by the application of carbon dioxide as a help gas.
Causal Control of Medial–Frontal Cortex Governs Electrophysiological and Behavioral Indices of Performance Monitoring and Learning

Adaptive human behavior depends on the capacity to adjust cognitive processing after an error. Here we show that transcranial direct current stimulation of medial–frontal cortex provides causal control over the electrophysiological responses of the human brain to errors and feedback. Using one direction of current flow, we eliminated performance-monitoring activity, reduced behavioral adjustments after an error, and slowed learning. By reversing the current flow in the same subjects, we enhanced performance-monitoring activity, increased behavioral adjustments after an error, and sped learning. These beneficial effects fundamentally improved cognition for nearly 5 h after 20 min of noninvasive stimulation. The stimulation selectively influenced the potentials indexing error and feedback processing without changing potentials indexing mechanisms of perceptual or response processing. Our findings demonstrate that the functioning of mechanisms of cognitive control and learning can be up- or down-regulated using noninvasive stimulation of medial–frontal cortex in the human brain.
Multiracial student services come of age: The state of multiracial student services in higher education in the United States

This chapter summarizes the context for the provision of services and programs for multiracial students and provides three case studies of current practice.
GABA receptors make teens resistant to input.

Neurosteroids generally reduce anxiety, but a new paper shows that they promote anxiety in female mice around puberty via the selective desensitization of extrasynaptic GABAA receptors made up of α4β2δ subunits. This change increases input resistance and excitation of hippocampal pyramidal neurons, thus promoting anxiety.
Maximum Likelihood Estimation of Factor Structures of Anxiety Measures: A Multiple Group Comparison

This paper examines the construct generality of self-report measures of anxiety across male and female samples, and illustrates the use of confirmatory maximum likelihood techniques for examining f...
Acceptance testing and quality assurance of automated scanning film densitometers used in the dosimetry of electron and photon therapy beams

Scanning film densitometry routinely used for obtaining dosimetric information about therapy treatment beams is subject to several sources of inaccuracies. The most significant of these are described and appropriate methods of testing are presented. This establishes the need for adequate acceptance testing followed by a quality assurance program if these devices are to be used to provide accurate relative dose information over extended periods of time.
A multiple processor system for real time control tasks

The performance of a special purpose multiple processor system with a shared bus for the transmission of output data is studied. A finite population queueing model with Poisson arrivals and services is developed and analyzed. The number of states is found to increase factorially with the number of customers. In the special case of equal arrival and service rates, the model reduces to a simpler one, whose solution is obtained by a recursive technique that reduces significantly the computation time. Under certain conditions, the simplified model provides a good approximation to the throughput predicted by the general model.
Structure of Crohn'S Disease-Related Proteins and their Binding to Class II MHC

T cell response to enteric bacteria is important in inflammatory bowel disease. pfiT is a T-cell superantigen associated with human Crohn's disease. The bacterial superantigens are a class of protein toxins that share the capacity to induce massive activation of the human immune system. These molecules simultaneously bind to major histocompatibility complex class II molecules on the surface of antigen-presenting cells and T-cell receptors (TCRs) on T cells to stimulate large numbers of T cells. The aim of this study is to analyze the molecular mechanism of superantigen recognition by host receptors. Here, we report the crystal structure of pfiT. This protein was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified though GST-affinity and size exclusion chromatography. The protein is selenomethionine labeled and single wavelength anomalous dispersion method was used for determination of the crystal structure. The superantigen crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21, with two molecules in asymmetric unit cell. The structure was determined to 2.5A resolution. In addition, we performed radiolabeled competitive binding assays between three superantigens: pfiT, Mycoplasma arthritidis-derived mitogen (MAM), PA2885, a novel open reading frame (ORF) in the Pseudomonas aeruginosa genome. Analyses showed that both the microbial homologuepfit and PA2885, just as potent superantigen MAM, are capable of binding to target mammalian cells. Moreover, we labeled these superantigens with FITC and analyzed them by FACS in PBMC. The statistic results show that antibody against HLA-DR has strong effect to block these SAg' binding ability with PBMC, and antibodies against HLA-DQ and DP can also compete binding site in a much weaker manner. These findings support the concept that pfiT, PA2885, MAM are superantigens and can bind to class II MHC molecule .Research is funded by the Crohn’ & Colitis Foundation of America.
Secure SIP: A Scalable Prevention Mechanism for DoS Attacks on SIP Based VoIP Systems

Traditional perimeter security solutions cannot cope with the com-plexity of VoIP protocols at carrier-class performance. We implemented a large-scale, rule-based SIP-aware application-layer-firewall capable of detect-ing and mitigating SIP-based Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks at the signaling and media levels. The detection algorithms, implemented in a highly distributed hardware solution leveraged to obtain filtering rates in the order of hundreds of transactions per second, suggest carrier class performance. Firewall performs SIP traffic filtering against spoofing attacks; and request, response and out-of-state floods. The functionality and performance of the DoS prevention schemes were validated using a distributed test-bed and a custom-built, automated testing and analysis tool that generated high-volume signaling and media traffic, and performed fine grained measurements of filtering rates and load-induced delays of the system under test. The test-tool included SIP-based attack vectors of spoofed traffic, as-well-as floods of requests, responses and out-of-state message sequences. This paper also presents experimental results.
Effects of Long-Term Estrogen Replacement on Social Investigation and Social Memory in Ovariectomized C57BL/6 Mice

Estrogen has been shown to play a role in modulating social recognition memory. However, the literature regarding the influence of estrogen on social memory is sparse and only covers two experimental manipulations: acute injections and receptor knockout. Long-term effects of estrogen replacement on social investigation and social recognition are unknown. Furthermore, existing social recognition protocols focus on memory of very short durations (<2 h). In the present study, we examined long-term effects of estrogen replacement on both short- (<30 min) and long-term (24 h) social recognition in ovariectomized female C57BL/6 mice by implanting 60-day time-release pellets containing physiological doses of estradiol (0, 0.18, or 0.72 mg of 17β-estradiol). After 55 days of treatment, evidence of social recognition memory, measured by 24-h habituation, was found only in mice receiving the 0.72-mg pellet. This result is remarkable as previous reports indicate that individually-housed untreated rats and mice do not show habituation beyond 2 h. Our study further revealed that estrogen also increased frequencies of baseline social investigation without affecting general activity levels and decreased delayed post-swim-stress serum corticosterone concentration. Thus, these results suggest that long-term estrogen replacement increased the interest in social interaction as well as decreased stress responses. It is likely that the 24-h habituation observed in the estrogen replacement group is mediated jointly by the non-mnemonic effects of estrogen on the behavior displayed during the stage of memory encoding as well as mnemonic effects during the stage of memory consolidation.
Web tools: bridge the gap to student employees

The department of Information Technology Services at Grinnell College employs approximately 60 students to assist with the support of faculty, staff and students. They are called User Consultants (UC). These students are responsible for staffing public labs and the campus help desk.It is a challenge to manage such a large group of students. They are from all over the world. They have varied work schedules and availability. They function independently across the campus. How does one communicate effectively to the entire group? How do they get the opportunity to interact with each other? What can be done to manage daily operations without hiring additional ITS staff?.Taking all of these challenges into consideration, the solution was to use the web. Using web-based tools allowed the student employees accessibility, enhanced communication, and gave them the resources that they needed to perform support almost anywhere on campus.Since the ITS staff did not have the time for development of such a system, a combination of third party tools, such as Blackboard and Clientele, together with some student computing projects created a web-based management system. This not only assists the ITS staff in managing the students, but it also provides the student staff a "connection" to the department.
Proteomics Identification of Drosophila Small Interfering RNA-associated Factors

The Drosophila melanogaster RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) forms a large ribonucleoprotein particle on small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and catalyzes target mRNA cleavage during RNA interference (RNAi). Dicer-2, R2D2, Loquacious, and Argonaute-2 are examples of RISC-associated factors that are involved in RNAi. Holo-RISC is an ∼80 S small interfering ribonucleoprotein, which suggests that there are many additional proteins that participate in the RNAi pathway. In this study, we used siRNA affinity capture combined with mass spectrometry to identify novel components of the Drosophila RNAi machinery. Our study identified both established RISC components and novel siRNA-associated factors, many of which contain domains that are consistent with potential roles in RNAi. Functional analysis of these novel siRNA-associated proteins suggests that these factors may play an important role in RNAi.
Domain switching in polycrystalline ferroelectric ceramics.

Ferroelectric ceramics are widely used as sensors and actuators for their electro-mechanical properties, and in electronic applications for their dielectric properties. Domain switching – the phenomenon wherein the ferroelectric material changes from one spontaneously polarized state to another under electrical or mechanical loads – is an important attribute of these materials. However, this is a complex collective process in commercially used polycrystalline ceramics that are agglomerations of a very large number of variously oriented grains. As the domains in one grain attempt to switch, they are constrained by the differently oriented neighbouring grains. Here we use a combined theoretical and experimental approach to establish a relation between crystallographic symmetry and the ability of a ferroelectric polycrystalline ceramic to switch. In particular, we show that equiaxed polycrystals of materials that are either tetragonal or rhombohedral cannot switch; yet polycrystals of materials where these two symmetries co-exist can in fact switch.
Rank Order Filtering on an Array with Faulty Processors

This paper presents a new approach for rank order filtering on a MasPar array architecture in the presence of faulty processors. This approach is based on offseting the loss of one or more faulty processors (due to either faults, or defects in the manufacturing process) using the available computational capacity of the neighbor fault-free processors. A parallel algorithm which is applicable to this fault-tolerant procedure, is proposed with a time complexity ofO(N), where N is the dimension of the array.
A Note on the Fisher Ideal Index Decomposition for Structural Change in Energy Intensity

Index numbers have been used to decompose aggregate trends in energy intensity, i.e., the ratio of energy use to activity. By making a direct appeal to the theory underlying price index numbers used by the energy decomposition literature, this note proposes the chain weighted Fisher Ideal Index as a formula that solves the `residual problem.' The connection to index number theory also allows us to illustrate that the measures of activity used to define energy intensity need not be additive across the sectors that are involved in the decomposition. We give an empirical example using recent U.S. manufacturing data of the Fisher Ideal Index, compared to the Tornqvist Divisia index, a popular index in the energy literature.
Cantankerous Cooperation: Democracies, Authoritarian Regimes, and the Prisoner's Dilemma

One of the most important debates in the field of international relations is over the effect of regime type on militarized conflict. This debate, however, has rarely extended to how regime type influences other aspects of foreign policy. Using a computer simulated intergroup prisoner's dilemma, we investigate whether democratic decisionmaking groups are more cooperative than authoritarian decisionmaking groups. We argue that differences between cooperation tendencies of groups can be explained by the structure of the decision process. Repeated simulations show that democracies tend to be more consistent in their decisions in comparison to authoritarian groups. Implications for international relations theory and policy are discussed.
Scripture, Sin and Salvation: Theological Conservatism Reconsidered

Using insights from ethnographic studies of conservative Protestant congregations, the authors propose and test a refined conceptual model of theological conservatism that accounts for three key components of a theologically conservative worldview: (1. epistemology, a belief in the Bible as the inspired word of God, (2. ontology, assumptions about the pervasiveness of human sinfulness, and (3. soteriology, the conviction that salvation is made. possible through a commitment to Jesus Christ. Structural equation modeling is used to examine the reliability and validity of this model across data sets and relativity to current approaches used in the study of religion. The proposed measure exhibits a substantial improvement for defining and interpreting the influence of religious conservatism across and within sociodemographic groups in contemporary American society.
Cultural Studies Legacies: Visiting James Carey's Border Country

A generally forgotten figure in the proliferating discursive spaces of an international cultural studies, James Carey was nevertheless one of the first to explore actively the interstices and to show the overt connections between media, culture, politics, and society. He integrated the study of media (and media as technology) into the broader processes of cultural and educational politics, a kind of convergence that is increasingly being called for today.
THE PHYSICS OF SINGLE ELECTRON TRANSISTORS

The single electron transistor (SET) is a nanometer-size device that turns on and off again every time one electron is added to it. In this article, the physics of the SET is reviewed. The consequences of confining electrons to a small region of space are that both the charge and energy are quantized. We review how the charge states and energy states of the confined electrons, sometimes called an artificial atom, are measured, and how the precision of these measurements depends on temperature. We also discuss the coupling of electrons inside the artificial atom to those in the leads of the SET, which results in the Kondo effect. We review measurements of the Kondo effect, which demonstrate that the Anderson Hamiltonian provides a quantitative description of the SET.
Faceted Navigation for Software Exploration

Much of developers' time is spent in exploring and understanding an unfamiliar software space. In this paper, we present a novel approach that characterizes the code fragments along several orthogonal dimensions in order for developers to navigate complex software spaces in a flexible manner. Central to our approach are hierarchical faceted categories (HFC), which have become especially successful in supporting exploratory web search activities. We apply the HFC approach for exploring a sizeable open-source software system. Our preliminary evaluation shows that HFC are promising in supporting software exploration tasks.
A comparison of performance metrics far two robust locally optimum detectors

This paper compares the well-known locally optimum (LO) performance metrics of efficacy (/spl xi/) and asymptotic relative efficiency (ARE) for two types of robust LO detectors. In particular, closed-form expressions for these metrics are derived for the histogram and Fourier series approximation (FSA) implementation algorithms. Additionally, they are evaluated for the case of Cauchy noise and compared to results given in the literature. Thus, simulation analysis is no longer the only method for determining robust LO detector performance.
Pharmacokinetics and distribution of linezolid in cerebrospinal fluid in children and adolescents.

Background:Two studies in hydrocephalic children and adolescents were performed to assess the penetration of linezolid into cerebrospinal fluid and its relation to meningeal inflammation.Methods:Each patient was administered intravenous linezolid 10 mg/kg every 12 hours for 3 days (study 1) or every
Understanding Exercise and Diet Motivation in Overweight Women Enrolled in a Weight-Loss Program: A Prospective Study Using the Theory of Planned Behavior

The purpose of this study was to prospectively examine the utility of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) constructs for exercise and diet behavior with women enrolled in a 4-week weight-loss program. Sixty-nine females participated in group exercise 3 times a week and they consumed a low-calorie diet for 1 month. They completed baseline measures of exercise behavior, demographic variables, and the TPB constructs for exercise and diet at the start of the program. Adherence to the exercise and diet was recorded, along with pre- and post-measurements of body composition. Significant decreases in body mass index, body fat percentage, and circumference measurements occurred from pre- to post-program. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that diet adherence was predicted by intention. However, the TPB constructs failed to predict exercise adherence, exercise intention, and diet intention. These results are discussed in relationship to previous research, and recommendations for future studies with this special population are highlighted.
Identification of agrin, a synaptic organizing protein from Torpedo electric organ.

Extracts of the electric organ of Torpedo californica contain a proteinaceous factor that causes the formation of patches on cultured myotubes at which acetylcholine receptors (AChR), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) are concentrated. Results of previous experiments indicate that this factor is similar to the molecules in the synaptic basal lamina that direct the aggregation of AChR and AChE at regenerating neuromuscular junctions in vivo. We have purified the active components in the extracts 9,000-fold. mAbs against four different epitopes on the AChR/AChE/BuChE-aggregating molecules each immunoprecipitated four polypeptides from electric organ extracts, with molecular masses of 150, 135, 95, and 70 kD. Gel filtration chromatography of electric organ extracts revealed two peaks of AChR/AChE/BuChE-aggregation activity; one comigrated with the 150-kD polypeptide, the other with the 95-kD polypeptide. The 135- and 70-kD polypeptides did not cause AChR/AChE/BuChE aggregation. Based on these molecular characteristics and on the pattern of staining seen in sections of muscle labeled with the mAbs, we conclude that the electric organ-aggregating factor is distinct from previously identified molecules, and we have named it "agrin."
WS-OBJECTS: Extending Service-Oriented Architecture with Hierarchical Composition of Client-Side Asynchronous Event-Processing Logic

There is a growing need for a new type of WS-*/SOA standards that could facilitate hierarchical, object-oriented composition of client-side executable code. This is especially true for the sorts of client-side logic embedded in AJAX and rich Internet applications, virtual worlds and MMORPGs; code that deals with issuing requests to servers, processing their responses, rendering UI, interacting with users, and processing asynchronous events from other client nodes. The paper offers an analysis of client-side composition patterns, a brief explanation why they lack adequate support from the existing web technologies, and design guidelines for client-side component integration environments to follow. The proposed guidelines have been successfully implemented in a prototype system. Our analysis is thus strongly rooted in reality; it is based on real experiences with concrete application scenarios. The paper concludes by highlighting the key architectural aspects of our implementation with respect to the principles listed earlier.
Imaging the Norepinephrine Transporter in Neuroblastoma: A Comparison of [18F]-MFBG and 123I-MIBG

Purpose: The norepinephrine transporter (NET) is a critical regulator of catecholamine uptake in normal physiology and is expressed in neuroendocrine tumors like neuroblastoma. Although the norepinephrine analog, meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG), is an established substrate for NET, 123 I/ 131 I-MIBG has several clinical limitations for diagnostic imaging. In the current studies, we evaluated meta-[ 18 F]-fluorobenzylguanidine ([ 18 F]-MFBG) and compared it with 123 I-MIBG for imaging NET-expressing neuroblastomas. Experimental Design: NET expression levels in neuroblastoma cell lines were determined by Western blot and 123 I-MIBG uptake assays. Five neuroblastoma cell lines and two xenografts (SK-N-BE(2)C and LAN1) expressing different levels of NET were used for comparative in vitro and in vivo uptake studies. Results: The uptake of [ 18 F]-MFBG in cells was specific and proportional to the expression level of NET. Although [ 18 F]-MFBG had a 3-fold lower affinity for NET and an approximately 2-fold lower cell uptake in vitro compared with that of 123 I-MIBG, the in vivo imaging and tissue radioactivity concentration measurements demonstrated higher [ 18 F]-MFBG xenograft uptake and tumor-to-normal organ ratios at 1 and 4 hours after injection. A comparison of 4 hours [ 18 F]-MFBG PET (positron emission tomography) imaging with 24 hours 123 I-MIBG SPECT (single-photon emission computed tomography) imaging showed an approximately 3-fold higher tumor uptake of [ 18 F]-MFBG, but slightly lower tumor-to-background ratios in mice. Conclusions: [ 18 F]-MFBG is a promising radiopharmaceutical for specifically imaging NET-expressing neuroblastomas, with fast pharmacokinetics and whole-body clearance. [ 18 F]-MFBG PET imaging shows higher sensitivity, better detection of small lesions with low NET expression, allows same day scintigraphy with a shorter image acquisition time, and has the potential for lower patient radiation exposure compared with 131 I/ 123 I-MIBG. Clin Cancer Res; 20(8); 2182–91. ©2014 AACR .
Eponyms and the diagnosis of aortic regurgitation: what says the evidence?

For more than a century, eponymous signs of aortic regurgitation have occupied a prominent place in medical textbooks. The evidence that these signs are accurate indicators of aortic regurgitation ...
‘She's lost control again’: representations of (dis)ability in contemporary performances of Spoek Mathambo and Die Antwoord

This article compares the representation of disability in the performances of Spoek Mathambo and Die Antwoord, two contemporary South African musical artists. Both artists appropriate disability for their own purposes. However, I argue that Die Antwoord uses the economy of repulsion and desire that surround certain conceptions of disability to add credibility to their supposed marginalization as white South Africans in a post-apartheid nation. Spoek Mathambo, on the other hand, uses discourses of disability to think through the effects of violence on the body, as well as to demonstrate the esthetic similarities between epilepsy, spirit possession, and mediumship. I conclude with the centrality of vulnerability in formulations of subjectivity.
Relations, Identity Consciousness, and Belonging in Trans-Atlantic Migrations

The anticolonial and antiapartheid struggles galvanized intercontinental identifications between involuntary and voluntary African migrants to the West, and between them and Africans on the continent. These resistances were not only focused on ending those specific oppressions, but also they were political struggles for black/African identity, elimination of poverty, visibility, peace, education, culture, freedom, and more—in short, decolonization. Though much attention has been given to involuntary (slavery) and voluntary (professional and low-skilled) migrations, there are new communities formed as a result of illegal, legal, asylum seekers, economic, political, and social African migrants. This paper, then, investigates, in the more globalized world with increased African “brain drain,” the relations cultivated to shape new or galvanize old identifications among the three groups. The paper aims to understand how the voluntary African migrants to the West participate in identity consciousness—race, gender, sex, and sexuality—to sustain the anticolonialist thought and negotiate the “paradoxes of living in two worlds,” as well as how they “negotiate the agonies that come with living in exile.”
Will Millennials Ever Get Married

Using data from the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), we investigate marriage patterns among women in the United States We describe and predict age at first marriage for successive generations based on decade of birth. The fraction of women married by age 22 has dropped by 11 percentage points per decade, from 69% for women born in the 1940s to 13% for women born in the 90s. The fraction of women married by age 42 fell more slowly, from 93% for women born in the 40s to 82% for women born in the 70s. Projections suggest that this fraction will be substantially lower for later generations, between 68% and 72%. Along with these results, this paper presents an introduction to survival analysis methods and an implementation in Python.
A Mouse Model of Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic or chronically relapsing, pruritic inflammatory skin disease. The incidence of AD has dramatically increased for the past three decades in industrialized countries. We established a highly efficient method to induce AD-like skin lesions using repeated epicutaneous treatments with house dust mite allergen and staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB). The dermatitis-induced mice showed increased serum IgE levels that were similar to human AD patients and also treatable with dexamethasone. This mouse AD model has been used in a vaccinia virus infection study. It will also be useful to study pathogenic processes of AD and to evaluate the efficacy of a drug candidate. In this chapter, we describe the detailed method that can induce AD-like skin inflammation in multiple mouse strains.
Isepamicin (SCH 21420, 1-N-HAPA gentamicin B): microbiological characteristics including antimicrobial potency of spectrum of activity

Isepamicin (formerly SCH 21420 or 1-N-HAPA-gentamicin B) is a novel broad-spectrum aminoglycoside which possesses a high level of stability to aminoglycoside inactivating enzymes and low levels of toxicity to the kidney and inner ear. The only modifying enzymes capable of inactivating isepamicin are ANT(4')-I (staphylococci), ANT(4')-II and APH(3')-VI, in addition to resistance mediated by permeability mutations. The spectrum of isepamicin is most similar to that of amikacin, another aminoglycoside with high enzyme stability. Reviews of isepamicin activity demonstrate MIC90s ranging from 1.1 to 8.5 mg/L for members of the Enterobacteriaceae, slightly more potent than amikacin. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter spp. and other pseudomonads had isepamicin consensus MIC90s of 7.8, 7.2 and 6.8 mg/ml, respectively. Staphylococci were generally very susceptible to isepamicin (MIC90s 0.5-6.9 mg/L), but enterococci and Streptococcus spp. were resistant (MIC90s > or = 64 mg/L), as were anaerobes, Xanthomonas (Stenotrophomonas) maltophilia, pathogenic Neisseria spp., Flavobacterium spp., Pseudomonas (Burkholderia) cepacia, Alcaligenes spp. and Vibrio spp. Additional studies of isepamicin microbiology revealed: 1) MICs were adversely influenced by elevated divalent cation content of the medium; 2) minimum inoculum effects were observed by using elevated concentrations; 3) bactericidal action and concentration dependent killing was the rule; 4) excellent stability in the presence of high beta-lactam co-drug concentrations was documented in several studies; 5) predictable synergistic or additive interactions with broad spectrum antimicrobial agents such as cephalosporins, penicillins, carbapenems and fluoroquinolones was observed by numerous investigators; and 6) in vitro susceptibility testing criteria (National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards) and quality control guidelines are established for routine clinical use. Isepamicin's antimicrobial qualities position it as a potential alternative aminoglycoside in hospitals or in geographical areas where resistance to existing aminoglycosides has emerged. The wider stability of isepamicin to contemporary aminoglycoside inactivating enzymes, its predictable pharmacokinetics, lower toxicity risks and enhanced activity (synergy) with other broad spectrum antimicrobial agents, will make isepamicin a valuable addition to the antimicrobial armamentarium in areas where ACC(6') enzymes are prevalent (Europe, Latin America, Western Pacific) and amikacin has become less efficacious.
Bone–meniscus interface

This chapter discusses the interface of the knee joint menisci with the tibial plateau. Each meniscus is secured to the underlying bone via two primary root attachments, as well as through several peripheral attachments. The primary root attachments possess complex structural, biochemical, and mechanical properties, and their integrity is vital for proper joint mechanics. The degradation of these meniscal attachment interfaces that occur in arthritic knees further implicates their importance in knee functionality. In addition to bone–meniscus interface composition, structure, and pathophysiology, the chapter also discusses the need to develop engineering strategies for bone–meniscus interface regeneration.
The Nuclear Magnetic Moment of Li 7 by Perturbation Theory

Under the assumption that the intrinsic magnetic moments of protons and neutrons are not destroyed by the nuclear binding process, and with the adoption of a rather general exchange interaction, the same between all pairs of heavy particles, the magnetic moment of ${\mathrm{Li}}^{7}$ is calculated by a perturbation theory which develops from the approximation in which the particles move independently in a central field. The first-order result is that the orbital part of the magnetic moment has a value between $0.26{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{N}$ and $0.30{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{N}$, depending on the details of the interaction, and that the spin part can differ from the proton magnetic moment by not more than $0.03{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{N}$, because of the exchange nature of the like-particle interaction and the small spin dependence of the unlike-particle interaction allowed by the data on scattering. The second-order modification is very small ($0.01{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{N}$ from the doubly excited states) and is due principally to the excitation of the $s$ shell, since states involving only the excitation of the three $p$ particles annual one another in their second-order effect. The modification is positive, corresponding to a limited participation of three protons and four neutrons in the orbital part, rather than one proton and two neutrons as in first order. Cancellation of positive and negative higher order contributions facilitates rapid convergence. If our result is to agree with experiment, the value of the proton magnetic moment must be near the upper limit ($3{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{N}$) of the rather wide range suggested experimentally, which seems unlikely. Such a discrepancy may be associated with the inadequacy of the symmetrical interaction apparent in calculating binding energies.
Summary of the 2015 Purine and Pyrimidine Society/Purine Metabolic Patients Association H. Anne Simmonds Memorial Lecture

It was both an honor and a privilege to present the H. Anne Simmonds Memorial Lecture at the 2015 International Symposium on Purine and Pyrimidine Metabolism in Man (PP’15). I want to thank: The Ex...
Medication Overuse in Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is usually managed by various pharmacotherapies after exhausting the conservative modalities such as over-the-counter choices. The goal of this review is to investigate current state of opioids and non-opioid medication overuse that includes NSAIDs, skeletal muscle relaxants, antidepressants, membrane stabilization agents, and benzodiazepine. How to minimize medication overuse and achieve better outcome in chronic pain management? Although antidepressants and membrane stabilization agents contribute to the crucial components for neuromodulation, opioids were frequently designated as a rescue remedy in chronic pain since adjunct analgesics usually do not provide instantaneous relief. The updated CDC guideline for prescribing opioids has gained widespread attention via media exposure. Both patients and prescribers are alerted to respond to the opioid epidemic and numerous complications. However, there has been overuse of non-opioid adjunct analgesics that caused significant adverse effects in addition to concurrent opioid consumption. It is a common practice to extrapolate the WHO three-step analgesic ladder for cancer pain to apply in non-cancer pain that emphasizes solely on pharmacologic therapy which may result in overuse and escalation of opioids in non-cancer pain. There has been promising progress in non-pharmacologic therapies such as biofeedback, complementary, and alternative medicine to facilitate pain control instead of dependency on pharmacologic therapies. This review article presents the current state of medication overuse in chronic pain and proposes precaution to balance the risk and benefit ratio. It may serve as a premier for future study on clinical pathway for comprehensive chronic pain management and reduce medication overuse.
A new test for stick–slip limit cycles in dry-friction oscillators with a small nonlinearity in the friction characteristic

We consider a dry friction oscillator on a moving belt with both the Coulomb friction and a small nonlinear addition which can model e.g. the Stribeck effect. By using the perturbation theory, we establish a new condition for the nonlinearity to ensure the occurrence of a stick–slip limit cycle. The test obtained is more accurate compared to what one gets by building upon the divergence test.
Physical Activity Is Associated With Reduced Left Ventricular Mass in Obese and Hypertensive African Americans.

BACKGROUND Physical activity (PA) has been associated with decreased left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy in previous studies. However, little is known about the relationship between PA and LV structure and factors which influence this relationship among African Americans. METHODS We evaluated 1,300 African Americans with preserved LV ejection fraction (EF > 50%) from the Genetic Epidemiology Network of Arteriopathy (GENOA) Study (mean age 62.4 years, 73% women). PA index was calculated as 3 * heavy activity hours + 2 * moderate activity hours + slight activity hours/day. The relationship between PA index and LV structure was evaluated using generalized estimating equation. The association between PA index and LV mass index by age group, sex, body mass index (BMI), history of hypertension, diabetes or coronary heart disease, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and current smoking status were plotted. RESULTS After adjustment for these factors, higher PA index was independently associated with lower LV mass index (P < 0.05). There were significant interactions between PA index and obesity (BMI ≥ 30) and history of hypertension on LV mass index (P for interaction <0.05, for both). Higher PA index was associated with lower LV mass index more in obese or hypertensive participants compared with nonobese or nonhypertensive participants. CONCLUSIONS Higher PA index was associated with reduced LV hypertrophy in obese and hypertensive African Americans. Prospective studies aimed at assessing whether increasing PA prevents LV hypertrophy and potentially reduces the risk of heart failure in these at risk groups are warranted.
Health promotion beliefs and practices among pharmacists.

Abstract Objective To examine the health promotion beliefs and practices of pharmacists. Design Cross-sectional mail survey. Setting Indiana. Participants Staff pharmacists. Methods Of the 1,440 registered Indiana pharmacies, one-half were selected using a systematic random process. Questionnaires were mailed to the 720 selected pharmacies asking one staff pharmacist to complete a 73-item questionnaire. Results A total of 552 pharmacists responded to the questionnaire, providing a 76.7% response rate. The majority of pharmacists believed that 10 of the 20 behaviors encouraged by national health objectives were very important for the average person. There was, however, considerably less agreement among pharmacists about the importance of the other 10 behaviors and practices. Pharmacists' involvement, preparation, and confidence in specific health promotion areas and activities were limited. A number of barriers were cited by respondents that could have hindered pharmacists' involvement in public health education activities. Despite these hindrances, pharmacists appear to be making strides toward providing health promotion education and activities. Conclusion Pharmacists are readily accessible sources of information concerning the importance of needed lifestyle factors on health. They can provide valuable education to patients about improvement of lifestyles as a routine component of pharmaceutical care.
Simultaneous in situ monitoring of axial stress in post tensioned concrete and rod using fiber loop ringdown sensors

In this work, we used two fiber loop ringdown strain sensors for in situ monitoring of the axial stress on a post tension rod and a concrete beam simultaneously during the stressing of the post tension rod embedded into the concrete beam.
Using Education Law as a Tool to Empower Social Justice Leaders to Promote LGBTQ Inclusion

Purpose: A significant and growing body of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) research examines the experiences of students, employees, and the substance of leadership training. Thi...
ROUNDS: a customizable HELP results review program for hospital staff physicians.

Abstract Physicians rely on the ready availability of clinical data such as laboratory results and procedure reports for the delivery of quality patient care. Such data may be obtained through telephone calls, printed reports or results review programs provided by hospital information systems, but the process is often time-consuming and laborious. To facilitate rapid access to critical patient data, an online M.D. Rounds Report program, ROUNDS, was developed as an adjunct to the HELP System at Rex Hospital. Qualified users may automatically obtain information on allergies and current medications, laboratory results, radiology reports and therapist notes for a list of patients without having to make additional menu or submenu selections. A detailed description of the M.D. Rounds Report program, along with a review of implementation objectives, physician evaluation, usage statistics, and the impact on future physician subsystem development, will be presented.
Reinecke, John E. (1904–1982)

A pioneer in pidgin and creole studies, John E. Reinecke was relatively alone and isolated in promoting the study of Hawaiian Creole English (HCE) and other ‘marginal languages.’ In line with his involvement with the Hawaiian labor movement, Reinecke advocated the elevation of pidgins and creoles to the status of proper scientific object, just as he felt workers should be given their proper due. Reinecke's work on creole languages was interrupted by a long break of twenty years when he was banned from teaching because of his political activities.