cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Brief Hypnosis Substitutes for Alprazolam Use in College Students: Transient Experiences and Quantitative EEG Responses

Abstract We sought to determine: 1) whether a simple hypnotic induction with an alprazolam experience derived suggestion could recreate the subjective effects of alprazolam (Xanax), 2) whether the effects of alprazolam are greater than the effects of hypnosis plus this suggestion, and 3) whether the effects of hypnosis plus this suggestion were greater than the relaxation effects produced by hypnosis alone. High and low hypnotizable student volunteer subjects (Ss) ingested 1 mg of alprazolam. A hypnotic suggestion was developed on the basis of their reported reactions to alprazolam. Four days later the same Ss were exposed to hypnosis only and hypnosis plus the alprazolam experience based suggestion conditions in counterbalanced order. Ss exposed to the hypnosis plus suggestion condition demonstrated greater levels of relaxation as measured by the tension-anxiety scale of the Profile of Mood States (POMS) (Eichman & Umstead, 1971) than in the alprazolam condition or the hypnosis only condition. High hypno...
Landscape, demographic and climatic associations with human West Nile virus occurrence regionally in 2012 in the United States of America.

After several years of low West Nile virus (WNV) occurrence in the United States of America (USA), 2012 wit- nessed large outbreaks in several parts of the country. In order to understand the outbreak dynamics, spatial clustering and landscape, demographic and climatic associations with WNV occurrence were investigated at a regional level in the USA. Previous research has demonstrated that there are a handful of prominent WNV mosquito vectors with varying ecological requirements responsible for WNV transmission in the USA. Published range maps of these important vectors were georef- erenced and used to define eight functional ecological regions in the coterminous USA. The number of human WNV cases and human populations by county were attained in order to calculate a WNV rate for each county in 2012. Additionally, a binary value (high/low) was calculated for each county based on whether the county WNV rate was above or below the rate for the region it fell in. Global Moran’s I and Anselin Local Moran’s I statistics of spatial association were used per region to examine and visualize clustering of the WNV rate and the high/low rating. Spatial data on landscape, demographic and climatic variables were compiled and derived from a variety of sources and then investigated in relation to human WNV using both Spearman rho correlation coefficients and Poisson regression models. Findings demonstrated significant spatial clustering of WNV and substantial inter-regional differences in relationships between WNV occurrence and landscape, demographic and climatically related variables. The regional associations were consistent with the ecologies of the dominant vectors for those regions. The large outbreak in the Southeast region was preceded by higher than normal winter and spring precipitation followed by dry and hot conditions in the summer.
Use of the fungicide carbendazim as a model compound to determine the impact of acute chemical exposure during oocyte maturation and fertilization on pregnancy outcome in the hamster.

Abstract Early pregnancy loss due to acute chemical exposure is difficult to detect and essentially impossible to characterize in humans. Here we use a hamster animal model to identify early pregnancy loss due to an acute chemical exposure to the female during the perifertilization interval. The fungicide carbendazim (methyl 1 H -benzimidazole-2-carbamate), a microtubule poison with antimitotic activity, was selected as a model compound because it would be expected to perturb microtubule-dependent events occurring in the oocyte during meiotic maturation and fertilization. Such effects would likely lead to aneuploidy in the zygote with subsequent early pregnancy loss. Female hamsters were given a single oral dose of carbendazim during meiosis I (the afternoon of proestrus) prior to breeding, or during meiosis II (the morning of estrus) following overnight breeding. Pregnancy outcome was assessed on Day 15 (the afternoon before parturition). When given during meiosis I, carbendazim treatment (750 or 1000 mg/kg body weight) significantly reduced the percentage of pregnant hamsters. In those animals that became pregnant, the average number of live pups was significantly lower at all dosages of carbendazim used (250, 500, 750, and 1000 mg/kg), an effect attributable to both preimplantation and early postimplantation losses. When given early on the morning of estrus, shortly before and during fertilization (0500 or 0600 hr), carbendazim treatment (1000 mg/kg) produced a similar decrease in litter size. This effect disappeared when carbendazim was administered at a slightly later time (0800 or 0900 hr), after the microtubule-dependent events of fertilization have occurred. These results demonstrate that a single exposure to a microtubule poison such as carbendazim at critical times, coincident with microtubule-dependent meiotic events, can result in very early pregnancy loss. Such loss was readily measurable in this animal model and serves as the basis for further mechanistic studies which would be impossible to conduct in humans.
Faculty Development as Transformation: Lessons Learned From a Process-Oriented Program

Background: Faculty development programs tend to be oriented around content, yet many have produced positive outcomes unrelated to the content. We describe a faculty development program that utilized the processes of shared reading and guided reflection espoused by narrative medicine. Description: To date, 25 preceptors in the Foundations of Clinical Medicine course have participated. The program consists of weekly seminars in which participants actively engage with text as a basis for conversation around content as well as teaching strategies. Evaluation: Using qualitative methods, we examined notes from seminars, in-depth interviews, and review of curricular documents; we used conceptual frameworks from education as interpretive lenses. Participants recognized both personal growth and transformation in relationships with each other, which created the opportunity, and the means, to address and reshape norms and teaching practices at the institution. Conclusions: Process-oriented faculty development progr...
Cell-specific properties of type V and type IX adenylyl cyclase isozymes in 293T cells and embryonic chick ventricular myocytes.

Abstract The cDNAs for types V and IX adenylyl cyclases were cloned from a chicken heart library and expressed in 293T cells (plasmid transfection) and in embryonic chick ventricular myocytes (adenovirus infection). Expression of type V or IX cyclases in 293T cells resulted in increases in basal and isoproterenol (ISO)-stimulated cAMP levels, whereas the expression of type V, but not type IX, cyclase increased forskolin (FK)-stimulated cAMP levels. Expression of type V cyclase in cardiac myocytes increased basal and FK-stimulated cAMP levels, variably increased ISO-stimulated cAMP levels, and decreased the content of β-adrenergic receptors (βARs). The expression of type IX cyclase in cardiac myocytes increased basal and ISO-elevated cAMP levels and, surprisingly, increased the cAMP-elevating effect of FK. The finding that FK responses are increased in cardiac myocytes but not in 293T cells expressing the type IX cyclase suggests that the host cell influences the properties of the type IX isozyme.
An assay for the bacterial sweet spot.

Glycosylation is critical for the proper folding and function of many eukaryotic proteins. A lack of native asparagine-linked glycosylation machinery has hampered production of eukaryotic proteins in Escherichia coli. This commentary by Danielle Tullman-Ercek discusses the work of Matt Delisa's group on an assay using beta-lactamase activity as a reporter for successful glycoprotein folding in the periplasm of E. coli. See accompanying article by Mansell et al. DOI: 10.1002/biot.201300026
Forbidden rotational spectra of polyatomic molecules

Abstract Some of the pure rotational transitions of polyatomic molecules that are forbidden according to the rigid rotor selection rules may acquire intensity by a centrifugal distortion mechanism, in which the intensity depends on the dipole derivatives and on the displacements in the normal coordinates produced by centrifugal distortion. The structures of the predicted spectra are discussed for nonpolar molecules belonging to the point groups D 3 h , D n ( n > 2), D 2 d , and T d . Some of the calculated R -branch lines of methane are stronger than some of the lines of HD already observed in the same frequency range. For polar molecules extra contributions to the intensity must be considered and are exemplified for the Δ k = ±3 transitions of C 3 v molecules. These forbidden rotational transitions may have some astrophysical importance.
Wideband HEMT balanced amplifier

The high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) has demonstrated great potential for high-gain and low-noise applications, achieving a noise figure and current gain cutoff frequency fT superior to that of the GaAs MESFET. The letter presents the practical use of an HEMT in a hybrid wideband balanced amplifier covering 8.5 to 16 GHz producing 9.7 ± 0.5 dB gain and 2.6 dB midband noise figure. The performance is also compared to a GaAs MESFET stage.
Financial market participation, financial intermediation, and monetary policy

Abstract It is not uncommon for the Friedman rule to be optimal in neoclassical models with money. Notably, previous studies also find that financial intermediation is not welfare improving when money is costless to hold. This paper departs from previous studies by highlighting the importance of participation costs in financial markets for the participation in financial intermediation and monetary policy. As in previous work, the Friedman rule is optimal. However, I demonstrate that the welfare gains from disinflation are much higher when savings are intermediated if direct participation costs in financial markets are significant. Consequently, financial intermediation can still be optimal at the Friedman rule.
Multi-element accumulation near Rumex crispus roots under wetland and dryland conditions

Abstract Rumex crispus was grown under wet and dry conditions in two-chamber columns such that the roots were confined to one chamber by a 21 μm nylon mesh, thus creating a soil–root interface (‘rhizoplane’). Element concentrations at 3 mm intervals below the ‘rhizoplane’ were measured. The hypothesis was that metals accumulate near plant roots more under wetland than dryland conditions. Patterns in element distribution were different between the treatments. Under dryland conditions Al, Ba, Cu, Cr, Fe, K, La, Mg, Na, Sr, V, Y and Zn accumulated in soil closest to the roots, above the ‘rhizoplane’ only. Under wetland conditions Al, Fe, Cr, K, V and Zn accumulated above as well as 3 mm below the ‘rhizoplane’ whereas La, Sr and Y accumulated 3 mm below the ‘rhizoplane’ only. Plants on average produced 1.5 times more biomass and element uptake was 2.5 times greater under wetland compared to dryland conditions.
The next great leap forward

The idea that if China is to become a science and technology-based superpower, it must embrace the values of the west's Enlightenment needs more evidence to back it up, says Richard P. Suttmeier
Desmosterol, an intermediate in dealkylation of β-sitosterol in the tobacco hornworm

The mechanism of dealkylation of phytosterols such as β-sitosterol to cholesterol in insects is an important and little understood biochemical transformation. This alteration of the sterol side chain provides a means for omnivorous and particularly phytophagous insects to obtain their essential cholesterol from foodstuffs that are either very low or completely lacking in cholesterol but which contain substantial quantities of plant sterols. Dealkylation has been reported or inferred for a number of insects and has definitely been demonstrated to occur in certain species through the use of semidefined diets, radiotracer labeled sterols, and/or gas-liquid chromatographic analysis (1,2,3). In these insects, only the final metabolite of this process, cholesterol or a cholestane derivative, has been identified, and nothing is known of the intermediate reactions. Recent research has greatly enhanced our understanding of the alkylation process that occurs during the biosynthesis of plant sterols (4,5,6). It would be of extreme interest from a comparative biochemical standpoint to determine whether the alkylation and dealkylation processes share certain common intermediates or proceed through common pathways. During a study in our laboratory on the rate of conversion of H3-β-sitosterol to cholesterol in the tobacco hornworm, Manducasexta (Johannson), an unknown H3-labeled sterol component was detected. The isolation and identification of this sterol as desmosterol (Δ5,24-cholestadien-3β-o1) and proof of its occurrence as an intermediate in the dealkylation process is the topic of this report.
Efficacy of a novel bipolar radiofrequency ablation device on the beating heart for atrial fibrillation ablation: a long-term porcine study

Objective Over recent years, a variety of energy sources have been used to replace the traditional incisions of the Cox maze procedure for the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of a new bipolar radiofrequency ablation device for atrial ablation in a long-term porcine model. Methods Six pigs underwent a Cox maze IV procedure on a beating heart off cardiopulmonary bypass using the AtriCure Isolator II bipolar ablation device (AtriCure, Inc, Cincinnati, Ohio). In addition, 6 pigs underwent median sternotomy and pericardiotomy alone to serve as a control group. All animals were allowed to survive for 30 days. Each pig underwent induction of atrial fibrillation and was then humanely killed to remove the heart en bloc for histologic assessment. Magnetic resonance imaging scans were also obtained preoperatively and postoperatively to assess atrial and ventricular function, pulmonary vein anatomy, valve function, and coronary artery patency. Results All animals survived the operation. Electrical isolation of the left atrial appendage and the pulmonary veins was documented by pacing acutely and at 30 days in all animals. No animal that underwent the Cox maze IV procedure was able to be induced into atrial fibrillation at 30 days postoperatively, compared with all the sham animals. All 257 ablations examined were discrete, linear, and transmural, with a mean lesion width of 2.2 ± 1.1 mm and a mean lesion depth of 5.3 ± 3.0 mm. Conclusions The AtriCure Isolator II device was able to create reliable long-term transmural lesions of the modified Cox maze procedure on a beating heart without cardiopulmonary bypass 100% of the time. There were no discernible effects on ventricular or valvular function.
Transport of gases through insoluble monolayers

The reduction in gas desorption through surface active monolayers on a water substrate has been investigated for five compounds (1-hexadecanol, 1-octadecanol, 1-docosanol, 1-eicosanoic acid, and 1-docosanoic acid) and four gases (oxygen, nitrogen, methane and carbon dioxide) at 25°C. Gas transport was retarded significantly at high surface coverage and decreased nonlinearly with change in surface coverage past the point equivalent to zero surface pressure. Interphase mass transfer coefficients for transport through the films were calculated, but no simple correlation could be discovered which could be used to predict film coefficients or the reduction as a function of surface coverage.
Convenient Assay of Xanthine Dehydrogenase in Single Drosophila melanogaster

Each fruit fly is homogenized in buffer and treated with charcoal. The enzyme is subsequently assayed by following the conversion of 2-amino-4-hydroxyptridine to isoxanthopterin in a sensitive fluorometer.
Duffy blood group and hemoglobin variants.

Data on a sample of 809 Afro-Americans indicated that there is no association between Duffy null (a-, b-) blood type and sickle cell trait. The results further rule out close linkage as an alternative hypothesis to explain the reported association between these loci in areas where falciparum and vivax malaria are endemic and indicate that, even if the two loci are independent or loosely linked, direct evidence of the selection favoring AS Fy-Fy- individuals must come from populations where mixed malaria infections occur. Stratification, as an explanation for the reported association, is also discussed.
Did King Wen of Zhou Develop the Zhouyi

(2013). Did King Wen of Zhou Develop the Zhouyi?. Contemporary Chinese Thought: Vol. 44, No. 3, pp. 60-85.
Automatic mapping of large signal processing systems to a parallel machine

In this thesis, we describe a program that generates efficient parallel code for linearly connected, distributed-memory, MIMD machines. The input to this program is a synchronous digital signal processing system, represented as a directed graph. The nodes of this graph stand for computations, and the edges indicate the flow of data. The output is code that implements the given system, which can be compiled and run on the Warp parallel computer. The fundamental problem in creating such a program is to balance the computation load across the machine, while keeping the amount of interprocessor communication low. To attack this problem, we exploit parallelism both within and between tasks. First we create a library of signal processing operations. Some of these operations are implemented in a data-parallel style, some are implemented systolically, and some cannot be parallelized at all. Then we develop a scheduling technique to exploit the advantages of all three styles. At the same time, we develop methods for automatically generating all necessary communication and I/O code. The techniques of this thesis have been verified in two ways. First, using actual timings from our library of signal processing operations, we predict the fraction of computation, communication and waste cycles for three large signal processing systems. Second, we establish a bound on the ratio of actual schedule execution time to optimal schedule execution time, valid for any signal flow graph G that obeys certain constraints on its topology and tasks. Thus for these graphs, our schedules are guaranteed to lie within a fixed factor of the optimum solutions.
The effects of figurai shape on the perception of area

It was hypothesized that figures of equal area and different shapes are perceived as differing in area and that these apparent differences in area are due to the interaction of certain shape variables. Thirty figures were presented to 45 Ss for paired comparisons. Forty-five sets of 30 Choice scores were calculated. The performance of each S was tested for consistency by the Method of Circular Triads (p>.01). A Coefficient of Agreement (u) indicated that the Ss agreed among themselves (p>.01). Fifteen Ss were tested twice for test-retest reliability (p>.01). The 45 sets of Choice scores were then converted to rank values and averaged over all Ss. The mean rank values of the 30 figures were treated with the two-way analysis of variance by ranks to determine the significance of the differences among them (p>.01). A Coefficient of Concordance (W) was calculated on the 45 sets of rank values to support the results of the analysis of variance (p>.01). Subsequently, the 30 mean rank values were treated as the dependent variable in a multiple correlation (R) with the shape variables as the independent variables (p>.01). The apparent area of the figures was found to vary inversely with perimeter, number of turns, breadth, and external area.
Up-regulation of protease activated receptors in bladder after cyclophosphamide induced cystitis and colocalization with capsaicin receptor (VR1) in bladder nerve fibers

ABSTRACTPurpose:: Studies suggest that protease activated receptors (PARs) are mediators of inflammation and repair. Studies suggest a neurogenic mechanism for PAR2 in inflammation and the fact that interaction between PAR2 and transient receptor vanilloid receptor (TRPV1 or VR1) are important for the induction and maintenance of inflammatory pain.Materials and Methods:: We examined the expression of PAR2 to 4 in bladder urothelium and detrusor muscle whole mounts in controls, female rats and those treated with cyclophosphamide (CYP) acutely (4 and 48 hours) or chronically (every third day for 10 days) using Western blot and immunohistochemical techniques. Colocalization of PARs in nerve fibers and VR1 immunoreactive nerve fibers was determined by double labeling techniques for protein gene product and capsaicin receptor (VR1).Results:: Western blot revealed up-regulation (1.5 to 9.4-fold) of PAR2 to 4 in bladder after cystitis. Immunohistochemistry revealed PAR2 to 4 expression in urothelial and detrusor...
The effect of tracer diffusion in biofilm on residence time distributions

Abstract Estimating fixed-film biological reactor characteristics is often complicated by interaction of the tracer that is used in residence time distribution (RTD) studies with the biofilm in a way that causes the RTD curve to have a long tail. This tail can result from hold-up of tracer within the biofilm. A reactor model that ignores the diffusion rate at which tracer enters and leaves the biofilm may be seriously in error. Data from RTD studies in a fluidized bed reactor are presented and a model that accounts for diffusion of tracer in the biofilm is used to explain the experimental data. A material balance on inorganic nitrogen is also given to verify the organic dye tracer results. The conditions under which diffusion of tracer will cause large distortions are defined.
Stability characteristics of absorbing boundary conditions in microwave circuit simulations

In this paper, we examine the stability properties of several absorbing boundary conditions in the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations of microwave circuits. The numerical experiments show that the stability characteristics of absorbing boundary conditions, e.g., Mur's (1981) and perfectly matched layers (PML), can depend upon the discretization of the computational domain.
A Developmental Approach to Counseling Adults

The author enunciates basic tenets of developmental theory and shows their application to work with adults. Counseling intervention is conceptualized as mobilizing resources to facilitate growth. Implications for the future of counseling psychology are considered.Counseling psychologists working with adults have usually traced their origins to two sets of ancestors. One, the medical psychiatric tradition, is oriented to a treatment model. Correction of abnormalities, adjustment to disabilities, restoration of function are talismen of this approach. Educational guidance, the other ancestral tradition, takes as its hallmarks providing information and recommending courses of action.These historic influences have in recent years been effectively challenged, by phenomenology and by behaviorism. Even as controversy between these seemingly incompatible parents rages on, a new generation of advocates has arisen, growing its own branch on the family tree. This latest influence, the developmental approach, languish...
The social psychology of education: New field of study or just educational psychology? 1

Abstract The social psychology of education is examined to determine its status as a unique field of study. Recent research in five areas of specialization, attribution theory, school organization, group dynamics, teacher‐pupil relationships, and affective learning is summarized to indicate substantive advances in the field. The contribution of educational social psychology in interpreting school learning is cited with a corresponding theory of learning. Two themes which are pervasive in the social psychology of education, the importance of attitudinal outcomes and the influence of interactions between each person and school social structures on individual behavior, are summarized with implications for educational psychologists.
On Malleable and Immalleable Subtypes Stereotype Malleability in One Subtype Does Not Spill Over to Other Prominent Subtypes

Although relatively brief encounters with counterstereotypic targets can change automatic stereotypes, the capacity to subtype such counterstereotypic targets can also protect stereotypes against change. In a novel combination of these findings, the current research hypothesized that malleability in one subtype of a category engendered by mental imagery (Blair, Ma, & Lenton, 2001) would not bleed over easily into other prominent subtypes of a category. Supporting this hypothesis, imagining a strong businesswoman elicited a reversal of the "women-as-weak" stereotype - but only for women presented in business contexts (i.e., businesswomen). When women were presented in domestic contexts (i.e., homemakers), the mental imagery had no effect on the stereotype of women as weak. Thus, these data suggest that stereotype malleability elicited by mental imagery can be subtype-specific, with changes in one subtype not bleeding over easily to other subtypes of the category.
The measurement of meaning in illness

A scale is presented that operationalizes the concept of meaning as it is constructed within the context of life-threatening illness. Development of the scale is based on a symbolic interactionist perspective. The reliability and validity of the scale are examined using a sample of 422 persons with a variety of types of cancer at specified points in the illness trajectory. The scale was found to have item-total correlations ranging from 0.50 to 0.73, all significant at P < 0.01, and a Cronbach's alpha of 0.81. A factor analysis indicated the total scale explained 57.3% of the variance. Evidence of the scale's validity was found in its ability to differentiate persons who were newly diagnosed as having non-metastatic cancer from those individuals experiencing the first recurrence of cancer and those with metastatic disease, as well as individuals experiencing a first remission from those experiencing a first recurrence or those with metastatic disease. In addition, using regression analysis meaning was found to be predicted by social support and specific coping strategies, and to be predictive of personal control, body image and psychological adjustment. A bi-directional relationship was demonstrated between the construction of meaning (primarily a cognitive phenomenon) and emotional response, which is congruent with the bi-directional relationship between cognition and emotion as proposed in the theory of Lazarus and Folkman.
A Message-Based Approach to Discrete-Event Simulation

This paper develops a message-based approach to discrete-event simulation. Although message-based simulators have the same expressive power as traditional discrete-event simulation lanuages, they provide a more natural environment for simulating distributed systems. In message-based simulations, a physical system is modeled by a set of message-communicating processes. The events in the system are modeled by message-communications. The paper proposes the entity construct to represent a message-communicating process operating in simulated time. A general wait until construct is used for process scheduling and message-communication. Based on these two notions, the paper proposes a language fragment comprising a small set of primitives. The language fragment can be implemented in any general-purpose, sequential programming language to construct a message-based simulator. We give an example of a message-based simulation language, called MAY, developed by implementing the language fragment in Fortran. MAY is in the public domain and is available on request.
Microearthquakes in Kansas and Nebraska 1977–87

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from "http://srl.geoscienceworld.org".
Women in Street-based Prostitution: A Typology of their Work Styles

Women engaged in street-based prostitution have been studied from a number of perspectives. Little research was found that focused on their work styles. This study was conducted to gain a better understanding of work styles of women involved in street-based prostitution in the Midwest. Of the 53 women interviewed, 12 were or had been involved in Pimp-Controlled prostitution. In Renegade prostitution were 27 women who worked as independent entrepreneurs and were interested in building a substantial client base. The remaining 14 women, involved in Outlaw prostitution, hustled, manipulated, and exploited their customers. Each work style has its own unique features, such as language, ethical behavior, and amount of control over their work activities. Understanding the work styles of prostitute women adds to the body of literature on women involved in street-based prostitution and provides some implications for social work practice and future research.
Copper and zinc absorption in the rat: mechanism of mutual antagonism.

The influence that copper and zinc exert on each other's absorption was studied by using the isolated, vascularly perfused rat-intestine system. In the first series of experiments, rats were fed for 1 wk one of nine diets, with different copper and zinc concentrations representing low, adequate and high dietary metal intakes. Copper concentrations were 1, 6 and 36 mg/kg diet and zinc concentrations were 5, 30 and 180 mg/kg. The small intestine was perfused with M199tissue culture medium containing 6 mg/L copper and 30 mg/L zinc. Neither metal was found to significantly alter the other's absorption. High dietary zinc increased metallothionein-bound copper but did not change the intracellular copper concentration. In the second series of experiments, the dietary copper and zinc concentrations were held at 6 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg, respectively, while the metal concentrations in the luminal perfusate were changed (from 1 to 36 mg/L and from 5 to 180 mg/L for copper and zinc, respective ly). The higher copper concentrations in the perfusate increased zinc accumulation in mucosal cells and decreased the zinc transferred to the portal perfusate at the highest luminal zinc concentration. These data indicate that a competition and/or inhibition of a pathway for zinc out of the mucosal cell occurs at high luminal copper con centrations. High luminal zinc concentrations in the perfusate decreased the copper concentration in the mucosal cell cytosol and the amount transferred to the portal effluent. These results taken together indicate that a competition and/or inhibition of copper or zinc uptake into intestinal cells occurs when the luminal concentration of the respective congener is very high. J. Nutr. 115: 159-166, 1985.
Barriers Influencing the Success of Racial and Ethnic Minority Students in Nursing Programs

Racial and ethnic minority students have high attrition rates in nursing school. This article describes a qualitative study that explored 15 minority nursing students' experiences while enrolled in a predominantly White nursing program. In-depth interviews were conducted and eight themes emerged: loneliness and isolation, differentness, absence of acknowledgment of individuality from teachers, peers' lack of understanding and knowledge about cultural differences, lack of support from teachers, coping with insensitivity and discrimination, determination to build a better future, and overcoming obstacles. This article provides a voice for minority nursing students whose experiences have not been heard. By understanding these students' experiences and perspectives, nursing educators may be better able to meet their educational needs and increase graduation rates.
Traffic-related air pollution and the incidence of childhood central nervous system tumors: Texas, 2001-2009

Background Due to increasing concerns regarding air pollution and childhood cancer, we conducted a population-based study evaluating the association between traffic-related hazardous air pollutants (1,3-butadiene, benzene, diesel particulate matter [DPM]) and the incidence of childhood central nervous system (CNS) tumors. Procedure Information on children diagnosed with a CNS tumor at <15 years of age, in Texas, for the period of 2001–2009 (n = 1,949) was obtained from the Texas Cancer Registry. Information on the corresponding at-risk population was obtained from the United States (U.S.) Census. Annual census tract-level pollutant concentrations, estimated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, were categorized based on quartiles (low, medium, medium-high, and high) of the statewide distribution. Multivariable Poisson regression was used to calculate adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRR). Juvenile pilocytic astrocytomas (JPAs) (n = 384), other astrocytomas (n = 372), ependymomas (n = 142), medulloblastomas (n = 235), and primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET) (n = 47) were evaluated. Results Census tracts with medium and medium-high 1,3-butadiene concentrations had higher astrocytoma incidence rates (aIRR [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 1.46 [1.05-2.01] and 1.69 [1.22-2.33], respectively) compared with low concentrations. Census tracts with medium DPM concentrations had higher astrocytoma (aIRR [95%CI]: 1.42 [1.05–1.94]) and medulloblastoma (aIRR [95%CI]: 1.46 [1.01–2.12]) incidence rates compared with low concentrations. Increased concentrations of 1,3-butadiene and benzene were strongly associated with increased PNET incidence rates, but were not statistically significant. No associations were detected with JPA or ependymoma incidence. Conclusions In one of the largest studies of its kind, our results suggest positive associations between hazardous air pollutants and incidence of astrocytoma (1,3-butadiene and DPM) and medulloblastoma (DPM). Pediatr Blood Cancer 2015;62:1572–1578. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Vacuum-assisted apical suction devices induce passive electrical changes consistent with myocardial ischemia during off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Objective: Off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery is common therapy to completely revascularize diseased hearts. In order to graft posterior arteries in this procedure, the heart must be lifted from the chest cavity and manipulated to expose the surgical field using an apical suction device. This suction device may cause unwanted myocardial ischemia. Methods: In this observational study, we measured myocardial electrical impedance, a parameter that responds to myocardial ischemia, as well as ST-segment changes during off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery in 12 patients with two-vessel coronaryartery disease undergoingrevascularisation of the left anterior descendingand the posterior descending coronary arteries. During the posterior descending artery revascularisation phase of the procedure the apical suction device was oriented over the electrodes used to measure myocardial electrical impedance, thus allowing us the opportunity to assess myocardial ischemia in this region of the heart. Results: In these 12 patients, myocardial electrical impedance progressively increased under the suction device during posterior coronary artery revascularisation, suggesting that myocardial ischemia developed in this region of the myocardium. ST-segment changes were negligible while the heart was vertically displaced (and the suction device attached), but increased immediately when the heart was returned to the neutral anatomical position. Conclusion: Our data suggest that the apical suction device may cause ischemia while the heart is vertically displaced and electrically disconnected from the body. Under these conditions, ST-segment changes may not detect myocardial ischemia. Myocardial electrical impedance has the potential to reliably detect intraoperative myocardial ischemia under these circumstances.
Effect of different suture materials on cartilage reshaping.

Background: Suturing techniques are one of the most commonly used means to reshape the nasal cartilage; however, no data exist regarding the optimal suture material and its long-term effect. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to determine whether any absorbable materials will provide the same long-lasting effect on cartilage reshaping as permanent materials. Methods: Thirty-six New Zealand white rabbits were divided into three groups of 12. A 3 mm × 4 mm cartilaginous fold was created on a 5 mm × 10 mm in situ strip of cartilage on the posteromedial surface of each ear with different suture materials to simulate transdomal sutures. Nylon was used as a control suture material on the right ear of every rabbit, while plain catgut, monocryl, or polydioxanone (PDS) was used on the left ear, depending on the study group. At the end of 3 months, the folds were harvested and their dimensions and histology were compared. Results: The cartilaginous folds were graded on a scale of 1 to 4 based on the final fold height measurement. The mean grades were 3.51 for nylon, 3.50 for PDS, 2.08 for monocryl, and 1.83 for plain catgut. Nylon provided a significantly better fold grade compared to monocryl and plain catgut ( P .05). Among the pathologic factors examined, only the amount of adipose tissue between the fold correlates with a higher fold grade ( P < .05). Conclusions: Cartilaginous folds created using PDS are comparable to those created using nylon and are significantly better than monocryl and plain catgut materials. On this animal model, it appears that permanent suture material is not required to maintain a long lasting cartilaginous fold as long as the suture material holds the fold in shape for a certain period of time.
Stability of Midface Fracture Repair Using Absorbable Plate and Screw System Pilot Holes Drilled and Pin Placement at Angles Other Than 90

ImportanceConventional plating systems use titanium plates for fixation of fractures, with benefits of strength and biocompatibility. However, titanium plates require that screws be placed at a 90°...
An iterative clustering algorithm for classification of object motion direction using infrared sensor array

Infrared sensors have been widely used in the field of robotics. This is primarily because these low cost and low power devices have a fast response rate that enhances realtime robotic systems. However, the use of these sensors in this field has been largely limited to proximity estimation and obstacle avoidance. In this paper, we attempt to extend the use of these sensors from just distance measurement to classification of direction of motion of a moving object or person in front of these sensors. A platform fitted with 3 infrared sensors is used to record distance measures at intervals of 100ms. A histogram based iterative clustering algorithm segments data into clusters, from which extracted features are fed to a classification algorithm to classify the motion direction. Experimental results validate the theory that these low cost infrared sensors can be successfully used to classify motion direction of a person in real time.
Participatory Action Research as a Process and as a Goal

Participatory action research is presented as a social research method and process and as a goal that social research should always strive to achieve. After describing the key features and strengths of participatory action research, we briefly analyze its role in promoting social change through organizational learning in three very different kinds of organizations. We argue that participatory action research is always an emergent process that can often be intensified and that works effectively to link participation, social action, and knowledge generation.
Family Responsibilities Discrimination: What Employment Counselors Need to Know.

Family responsibilities discrimination—bias against workers based on their responsibilities to care for family members—is rapidly becoming a 21st-century workplace concern. Employers who harass, pass over for promotion, or terminate workers because such workers care for children, spouses, elderly parents, or family members with disabilities have been sued with more frequency and have been incurring increasing litigation costs. Recently, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission took an important step toward ending this discrimination by issuing enforcement guidance that addresses family responsibilities discrimination and caregivers' rights and responsibilities. This article addresses the guidance and its importance for employment counselors.
Predictive deconvolution in shot-receiver space

Standard predictive multiple suppression techniques in marine reflection seismology usually resort to one‐dimensional assumptions about the underlying earth model. The methods presented here use a multiple model which assumes vertical incidence propagation in the water layer, yet relaxes common assumptions of zero offset and zero dip. In particular, different reflectivities and water depths are assumed at source and receiver locations. One of these methods, seafloor‐consistent multiple suppression, models each seismic trace as a convolution of an average frequency response with anomalous shot, geophone, midpoint, and offset responses. In the log‐frequency domain, this becomes a separable, additive model which can be solved by linear least‐squares techniques. The anomalous amplitude responses are solved for each frequency in “shot‐receiver” space with frequency as the outer loop of the algorithm. Once the seismic data set has been resolved into average and anomalous amplitude responses, the multiple reverb...
Low-Cost Airlines: A Failed Business Model?

The article examines the sustainability of the low-cost, or no-frills, airline business model. It looks at the background to the development of this managerial approach within the context of some prevailing business theories and considers variations on the basic low-cost airline model. It assesses, drawing from the experiences of a number of markets, whether the model in itself is likely to be enduring, or whether it is simply a transient way for some airlines to recover their full costs.
Antimicrobial Activity of Controlled-Release Chlorine Dioxide Gas on Fresh Blueberries†

The effect of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) gas on the safety and quality of blueberries was studied. In vitro studies revealed that both ClO2 gas fumigation and ClO2 direct contact in water killed food pathogen bacterium Escherichia coli and fruit decay pathogen fungus Colletotrichum acutatum. In vivo studies were conducted using noninoculated berries and berries inoculated with postharvest decay and foodborne pathogens. Berries were inoculated with either E. coli (5.2 log CFU/g) or C. acutatum (3.9 log CFU/g). Inoculated fruit were dried for 2 h at room temperature in a climate-controlled laboratory and packed in perforated commercial clamshells, with or without ClO2 pads, and stored at 10°C for up to 9 days. The effects of ClO2 on microbial populations and fruit firmness were monitored during storage. In the inoculation experiment, treatment with ClO2 reduced populations of E. coli and C. acutatum by 2.2 to 3.3 and 1.3 to 2.0 log CFU/g, respectively. For the noninoculated blueberries, the initial total aerobic bacteria count and the yeast and mold count were 4.2 and 4.1 log CFU/g, respectively. ClO2 treatment reduced total aerobic bacteria count and yeast and mold count by 1.5 to 1.8 and 1.3 to 1.7 log CFU/g, respectively. The firmness of both inoculated and noninoculated blueberries was maintained by ClO2 treatment. Thus, controlled-release ClO2 gas fumigation technology shows promise as an effective and practical antimicrobial agent in commercial clamshell packaging of blueberry and other fruits.
Autocrine regulation of cell proliferation by estrogen receptor-alpha in estrogen receptor-alpha-positive breast cancer cell lines

Background Estrogen receptor-α (ERα) is essential for mammary gland development and is a major oncogene in breast cancer. Since ERα is not colocalized with the cell proliferation marker Ki-67 in the normal mammary glands and the majority of primary breast tumors, it is generally believed that paracrine regulation is involved in ERα mediated cell proliferation. In the paracrine model, ERα-positive cells don't proliferate but will release some paracrine growth factors to stimulate the neighboring cells to proliferate. In a subpopulation of cancer cells in some primary breast tumors, however, ERα does colocalize with the cell proliferation marker Ki-67, suggesting an autocrine regulation by ERα in some primary breast tumors.
Matrix cones, complementarity problems, and the bilinear matrix inequality

Discusses an approach for solving the bilinear matrix inequality (BMI) based on its connections with certain problems defined over matrix cones. These problems are, among others, the cone generalization of the linear programming (LP) and the linear complementarity problem (LCP) (referred to as the Cone-LP and the Cone-LCP, respectively). Specifically, the authors show that solving a given BMI is equivalent to examining the solution set of a suitably constructed Cone-LP or Cone-LCP. This approach facilitates understanding of the geometry of the BMI and opens up new avenues for the development of the computational procedures for its solution.
Study of depth-dependent radiation-induced defects using coherent acoustic phonon spectroscopy

Here we study the effect of radiation-induced point defect distributions on the optical reflectivity signal in GaAs using coherent acoustic phonon spectroscopy. We demonstrate that the presence of point defects significantly modifies the optical response, allowing estimation of the depth-dependent defect distribution in a nondestructive and noninvasive manner. We show that the observed changes are dependent on defect-induced changes to the electronic structure, namely defect-induced band tailing of the direct 1.43eV band edge. This provides a method for subsurface investigations on the complex interaction between different defects species and optoelectronic structure.
Calcium influx through presynaptic 5-HT3 receptors facilitates GABA release in the hippocampus: in vitro slice and synaptosome studies

Serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 receptors (5HT3R) are Ca2+-permeant, non-selective cation channels that have been localized to presynaptic terminals and demonstrated to modulate neurotransmitter release. In the present study the effect of 5-HT on GABA release in the hippocampus was characterized using both electrophysiological and biochemical techniques. 5-HT elicited a burst-like, 6- to 10-fold increase in the frequency of GABAA receptor-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) measured with whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings of CA1 neurons in hippocampal slices. When tetrodotoxin was used to block action potential propagation, the 5-HT-induced burst of IPSCs was still observed. Stimulation of hippocampal synaptosomes with 5-HT resulted in a significant increase in the amount of [3H]GABA released by hyperosmotic saline. In both preparations, the 5-HT effect was shown to be mediated by 5HT3Rs, as it was mimicked by the selective 5HT3R agonist m-chlorophenyl biguanide and blocked by the selective 5HT3R antagonist 3-tropanylindole-3-carboxylate hydrochloride. The 5HT3R-mediated increase in GABA release was blocked by 100 microM cadmium or by omitting Ca2+ in external solutions, indicating the Ca2+-dependence of the effect. The high voltage-activated Ca2+ channel blockers omega-conotoxin GVIA and omega-conotoxin MVIIC and 10 microM cadmium had no significant effect on the 5-HT3R-mediated enhancement of GABA release, indicating that Ca2+ influx through the 5-HT3R facilitates GABA release. Taken together, these data provide direct evidence that Ca2+ entry via presynaptic 5HT3Rs facilitates the release of GABA from hippocampal interneurons.