cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Targeting blood–brain barrier changes during inflammatory pain: an opportunity for optimizing CNS drug delivery

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is the most significant obstacle to effective CNS drug delivery. It possesses structural and biochemical features (i.e., tight-junction protein complexes and, influx and efflux transporters) that restrict xenobiotic permeation. Pathophysiological stressors (i.e., peripheral inflammatory pain) can alter BBB tight junctions and transporters, which leads to drug-permeation changes. This is especially critical for opioids, which require precise CNS concentrations to be safe and effective analgesics. Recent studies have identified molecular targets (i.e., endogenous transporters and intracellular signaling systems) that can be exploited for optimization of CNS drug delivery. This article summarizes current knowledge in this area and emphasizes those targets that present the greatest opportunity for controlling drug permeation and/or drug transport across the BBB in an effort to achieve optimal CNS opioid delivery.
Membrane properties of rat suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons receiving optic nerve input.

1. The electrophysiological properties of suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) neurons (n = 33) receiving optic nerve input were studied with intracellular recordings in rat hypothalamic slices maintained in vitro. Our major goal was to provide baseline data concerning the intrinsic membrane properties of these neurons and to test the hypothesis that the neurons are homogeneous electrophysiologically. 2. Action potentials were short in duration and followed by a pronounced hyperpolarizing after-potential. Spike amplitude (58.2 +/- 1.1 mV, mean +/- S.E.M.; measured from threshold), spike duration (0.83 +/- 0.03 ms; measured at half amplitude) and hyperpolarizing after-potential amplitude (23.9 +/- 1.0 mV; measured from threshold) appeared unimodally distributed and did not co-vary. 3. Intracellular injection of depolarizing current pulses evoked spike trains, and spike inactivation, spike broadening and frequency accommodation were always present. An after-hyperpolarization followed the spike train in all but one neuron. 4. Membrane time constant ranged from 7.5 to 21.1 ms (11.4 +/- 0.7 ms, n = 27), and its distribution appeared to be unimodal with the peak at approximately 10 ms. Input resistance ranged from 105 to 626 M omega (301 +/- 23 M omega, n = 33); the distribution also appeared unimodal with its peak at approximately 250 M omega. 5. A subpopulation (16 of 33, 48%) of the neurons exhibited slight (6-29%) time-dependent inward rectification in their voltage responses to hyperpolarizing current injection. Of the neurons lacking the time-dependent rectification, some (n = 5) exhibited time-independent inward rectification of 6-20% and others showed no (or 6% inward rectification (neurons with time-dependent and -independent rectification were combined) were more excitable (362 +/- 43 Hz/nA (n = 15) vs. 221 +/- 37 Hz/nA (n = 9), P < 0.05) and had a higher spontaneous firing rate (11.1 +/- 1.9 Hz (n = 19) vs. 3.9 +/- 1.5 Hz (n = 11), P < 0.02) than the neurons with no or negligible (i.e. < 3%) inward rectification. The two groups, however, were not significantly different in membrane time constant and input resistance. 6. When adequately hyperpolarized, twelve of seventeen (71%) neurons generated small low-threshold spike (LTS) potentials in response to depolarizing current pulses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
A title I reading success story

Abstract This study describes the evolution of an exemplary Title I reading program in a rural elementary school. The key element in the program was a knowledgeable reading teacher who worked directly with children and also supervised the tutoring efforts of others (teacher assistants and community volunteers). A snapshot of longitudinal test data showed that out of 12 children identified as at‐risk readers in first grade, 7 achieved grade‐level reading status by the end of third grade and 2 more were less than one year below grade level.
Class II major histocompatibility complex tetramer staining: progress, problems, and prospects

The use of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) tetramers in the detection and analysis of antigen-specific T cells has become more widespread since its introduction 11 years ago. Early challenges in the application of tetramer staining to CD4+ T cells centred around difficulties in the expression of various class II MHC allelic variants and the detection of low-frequency T cells in mixed populations. As many of the technical obstacles to class II MHC tetramer staining have been overcome, the focus has returned to uncertainties concerning how oligomer valency and T-cell receptor/MHC affinity affect tetramer binding. Such issues have become more important with an increase in the number of studies relying on direct ex vivo analysis of antigen-specific CD4+ T cells. In this review we discuss which problems in class II MHC tetramer staining have been solved to date, and which matters remain to be considered.
Post-translational synaptic protein modification as substrate for long-lasting, remote memory: an initial test.

The current view of the molecular basis for information storage is that post-translational modification (PTM) of brain proteins is important for the early stages of memory storage and that protein synthesis is necessary for long-lasting memory. This view has been challenged by the proposal that PTM of synaptic proteins is the critical instructive mechanism underlying both recent as well as long-lasting memories (Routtenberg and Rekart,2005). As an initial test, a broad spectrum serine/threonine kinase inhibitor (H-7) was delivered bilaterally to rat anterior cingulate cortex 1 h before a 3 week retention test of contextual fear conditioning. This significantly blocked 21-Day retention. In the second experiment evaluating extinction of a 21-Day remote memory, H-7 injected into mouse medial prefrontal cortex blocked fear extinction. As the H-7-induced impairment in 21-Day retention was indexed by a decrease in freezing, while the extinction blockade by no decrease in freezing, the results could not be ascribed to a direct effect of the drug on behavioral performance. This represents the first demonstration, to our knowledge, that PTM inhibition, here serine/threonine kinase activity, interferes with long-lasting memory, providing initial support for the PTM model. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Motivation under the microscope: Understanding undergraduate science students’ multiple motivations for research

Little is known about students’ motivations toward scientific research or the implications of pursuing multiple research motivations simultaneously. We conducted latent profile analysis (a person-centered statistical technique) on 1,052 undergraduate students from three universities enrolled in physics, chemistry, and biology laboratory sections. Based on a tripartite model that conceptualizes research motivations as intrinsic, extrinsic, and failure avoidant, analyses revealed five distinct research motivational profiles which were described as Unmotivated; Neutral Engagement, Ternary-Driven; Emerging Engagement; and High Engagement. Profile membership was associated with differences in science class experiences, science identity, and future research intentions. Results showed students were optimally motivated toward science when highly endorsing both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, with low failure avoidance. These findings contribute to the literature on self-determination theory, intrinsic motivation and multiple goals, and these data create a framework for understanding undergraduate science laboratory experiences that may aid in efforts to broaden the participation of students in science.
Vitamin D insufficiency does not affect bone mineral density response to raloxifene.

Context: Vitamin D insufficiency and osteoporosis are common and often coexist in postmenopausal women. Objective: The objective of this study was to test whether the presence of vitamin D insufficiency at the initiation of raloxifene therapy affected the subsequent response of bone mineral density (BMD). Design, Setting, and Participants: We studied 7522 postmenopausal participants of the Multiple Outcomes of Raloxifene Evaluation, a placebo-controlled trial of the effects of raloxifene on BMD and fracture. Intervention: After enrollment, all participants began daily supplements of 500 mg calcium and 400–600 IU cholecalciferol; 1 month later, women were randomly assigned to placebo or raloxifene. Main Outcome Measure: Serum levels of vitamin D [25-hydroxy vitamin D (25OHD)] were measured at enrollment, randomization, and 6 months later. We categorized participants’ vitamin D status (deficient, insufficient, or sufficient) based on their randomization 25OHD level. We estimated the effects of treatment on ...
Cdk2 Is Required for p53-Independent G2/M Checkpoint Control

The activation of phase-specific cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) is associated with ordered cell cycle transitions. Among the mammalian Cdks, only Cdk1 is essential for somatic cell proliferation. Cdk1 can apparently substitute for Cdk2, Cdk4, and Cdk6, which are individually dispensable in mice. It is unclear if all functions of non-essential Cdks are fully redundant with Cdk1. Using a genetic approach, we show that Cdk2, the S-phase Cdk, uniquely controls the G2/M checkpoint that prevents cells with damaged DNA from initiating mitosis. CDK2-nullizygous human cells exposed to ionizing radiation failed to exclude Cdk1 from the nucleus and exhibited a marked defect in G2/M arrest that was unmasked by the disruption of P53. The DNA replication licensing protein Cdc6, which is normally stabilized by Cdk2, was physically associated with the checkpoint regulator ATR and was required for efficient ATR-Chk1-Cdc25A signaling. These findings demonstrate that Cdk2 maintains a balance of S-phase regulatory proteins and thereby coordinates subsequent p53-independent G2/M checkpoint activation.
The Religious Right in Court: The Decision Making of Christian Evangelicals in State Supreme Courts

Much has been written recently about the emergence of evangelicals and others often labeled the "new Religious Right" in American politics However, little attention has been paid to whether officials who have been socialized in the denominations characterized as being part of this Religious Right actually behave differently in office from those brought up in other religious traditions. The present study begins such an inquiry by examining differences in the voting behavior of state supreme court justices in three issue areas. Evangelical justices were found to be significantly more conservative than mainline Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish justices in death penalty, gender discrimination, and obscenity cases throughout the time period from 1970 to 1993. These findings suggest that religious affiliation is an indicator of a source of judicial values that is independent of partisan sources of values that have been discovered in previous research.
Vaporization reactions of manganese gallium sulfide

Abstract The vaporization of manganese gallium sulfide was investigated in the temperature range 500–975°. Manganese gallium sulfide was found to vaporize incongruently by the reaction: 3 MnGa 2 S 4 (s) = Mn 3 Ga 2 S 6 (s) + 2 Ga 2 S (g) + 2 S 2 (g) and Mn 3 Ga 2 S 6 (s) = 3 MnS(s) + Ga 2 S (g) + S 2 (g) Approximate vapor pressures were measured by the Knudsen effusion technique. Lattice parameters, density, and chemical analysis of the new ternary compound Mn 3 Ga 2 S 6 are reported.
Mediation of β-adrenergic stimulated amylase release from mouse parotid gland

Abstract Amylase released from mouse parotid fragments by the β-adrenergic agonist, isoproterenol, was associated with l) enhanced 45 Ca ++ efflux and 2) a dependence on the extracellular Na + concentration. Monensin, a sodium ionophore, mimicked the effects of isoproterenol on 45 Ca ++ efflux. In the absence of extracellular sodium isoproterenol and monensin failed to significantly release 45 Ca ++ . Complete inhibition of isoproterenol stimulated amylase release occurred when 75 per cent or greater of the extracellular Na + was replaced by sucrose; carbachol stimulated amylase release was not affected. Tetracaine (0.2 mM to 1.0 mM) inhibited both isoproterenol and carbachol stimulated amylase release and inhibited the 45 Ca ++ uptake induced by carbachol. Monensin, a sodium ionophore, mimicked the effects of isoproterenol on amylase release; this effect was significantly reduced in the absence of extracellular Na + . It is proposed that a primary step in the release of amylase form mouse parotid gland in response to β-adrenergic stimulation is an increased influx of Na + followed by release of intracellularly stored calcium.
The Development Economics Reader

The Development Economics Reader. Edited by Giorgio Secondi. London: Routledge, 2008, 560 pp., ISBN 978-0415771573, $65 (paperback). There has long been, in my mind at least, a need for an easily a...
A 100-3000MHz, up/ down-convert, +29dBm IIP3, 13dB NF, active mixer with integrated fractional-N PLL and VCO

This paper presents a broadband, high-dynamic range, active mixer with integrated PLL and VCO. The synthesizer uses a programmable integer-n/fractional-n PLL to generate an LO signal with an in-band phase noise FOM of −223 dBc/Hz/Hz. The 100–3000MHz active mixer can be configured for up or down conversion. The mixer's linearity can be boosted from +25dBm to +29dBm by increasing the bias current, and optimized for a wide range of input frequencies through a variable capacitor setting. Designed in Si-Ge 0.25µm BiCMOS, the entire chip occupies 5.84mm2 and consumes 250mA from a 5V supply.
Childhood exposures to ozone: the fast track to cardiovascular disease?

Air pollution is a ubiquitous environmental exposure that threatens the health of people worldwide, in no small part due to the development and exacerbation of cardiovascular diseases. Daily fluctuations in pollution have been associated with acute changes in subclinical measures of disease (eg, systemic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and vasoconstriction), and increases in risk of overt cardiovascular events (eg, myocardial infarction, stroke, and mortality), as well. Moreover, living in a more polluted area over a long period of time has been shown to elevate risks of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.1–3 With no evidence of a safe threshold, health impacts are detectable even in areas with concentrations below current regulatory standards of the United States and abroad. In fact, the World Health Organization has estimated that more than one million deaths per year are attributable to outdoor air pollution.4 Article see p 1614 The Environmental Protection Agency has recently reported that >100 million Americans live in areas exceeding the national ambient air quality standards for 2 key pollutants, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone (O3).5 Although robust evidence links PM2.5 to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality,1 O3 is most often linked to adverse respiratory endpoints such as asthma exacerbations.3 Nevertheless, a growing body of animal evidence supports the hypothesis that long-term exposures to PM2.5 and O3 can have harmful cardiovascular effects, including potentiating the formation of atherosclerotic lesions.6–8 Few human studies have evaluated this issue, especially with respect to O3, and even fewer have investigated the cardiovascular health impacts of childhood exposures. In this issue of Circulation , Breton and colleagues present their findings of a cross-sectional analysis of childhood exposures to air pollutants and …
The use of high pressure to study polymer—solvent interaction†

The behavior of polymer—solvent systems has been studied as a function of hydrostatic pressure to 3000 atm. The swelling of crosslinked neoprene and crosslinked Hevea has been studied in several solvents, and the temperature of phase separation of polystyrene in cyclohexane has been determined. These measurements permit an indirect evaluation of the volume of mixing that is felt to have advantages over the direct method due to the small magnitude of the effect in polymer systems. In all of the cases studied by the swelling technique, the volume of mixing is negative and tends to be greater in magnitude the better the solvent. For the very poor solvent—polymer system studied by the precipitation technique, a small positive value is obtained. In addition, the compressibility of swollen polymers is compared with that expected from an assumption of additivity and found to be much smaller. These phenomena are presumably the result of a more tightly packed liquid structure within the polymer network. This explanation suggests that the descriptions of the volume of mixing in terms of the apparent specific volume, while certainly formally correct, may be misleading physically. An attempt to relate the observations on these systems to a theory involving a power series expansion in terms of the solvent fugacity was unsuccessful due to the slow convergence of the series.
Coupled Analyses in Geomechanics

This paper presents a thorough review of the implementation of the Biot equations of equilibrium for a saturated elastic porous medium into a finite element code. The generation of the matrix equations via a Galerkin formulation is described in detail and an incremental form of the equations is presented suitable for nonlinear analysis. Simple elasto-plastic models for geoniaterials are described including a survey of different failure criteria and the Viscoplastic algorithm for stress redistribution is reviewed. Full listings of computer code in modular form are included for both elastic and elasto-plastic examples and attention is drawn to certain programming features which lead to improved efficiency and verstility. The paper concludes with several examples of finite element analysis of transient collapse problems of relevance to geotechnical engineering.
Assessment of Severity of Aortic Stenosis Through Time-Frequency Analysis of Murmur*

Study objective: The accurate and inexpensive noninvasive assessment of the presence and severity of aortic stenosis remains a challenge. In this study, we performed spectral analysis on the murmurs of a group of patients with this disease in order to assess its severity. Design: An electronic stethoscope was used to generate a spectral analysis of murmurs in patients with aortic stenosis. The durations of the spectra at different frequencies (ie, 200, 250, and 300 Hz) were correlated to the Doppler echocardiogram-derived mean and peak pressure gradients. Heart murmurs from the patients were recorded, and the spectra of the recordings were produced via fast-Fourier transformation. The duration of the spectra above the three given frequencies was then measured. Patients: Forty-one patients (age range, 45 to 94 years; mean age, 68 years) met the inclusion criteria, which included a minimum ejection fraction of 40% and no other significant systolic murmur or coexistent valve disease. Results: The peak pressure gradient measured via Doppler echocardiogram ranged from 15.3 to 185 mm Hg with the mean of 63 mm Hg. The duration of the spectra of > 300 Hz correlated best with the peak pressure gradient measured using the Doppler echocardiogram. An exponential regression model was created showing a significant correlation coefficient of r 0.86 (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: This study demonstrated a good correlation between the duration of spectra at 300 Hz and the Doppler derived peak pressure gradient. This simple and inexpensive technique may prove to be valuable in the evaluation and monitoring of patients with suspected and proven aortic stenosis. (CHEST 2003; 124:1638 –1644)
Nucleotide sequence and characterization of the Rhodobacter capsulatus hvrB gene: HvrB is an activator of S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase expression and is a member of the LysR family.

Abstract Here we present the nucleotide sequence and characterization of two genes, hvrB and orf5, that are located in the regulatory gene cluster from Rhodobacter capsulatus. The hvrB gene, which encodes a protein with a predicted molecular mass of 32 kDa, is shown to be highly homologous to genes encoding members of the LysR family of bacterial transcriptional regulators. A chromosomal disruption of hvrB is shown to result in the failure to regulate expression from the nearby ahcY and orf5 genes in response to alterations in light intensity. We show by primer extension mapping that the 5' end of ahcY-specific mRNA defines a promoter region exhibiting sequence similarity to known R. capsulatus promoter elements. Our mutational analysis further demonstrates that hvrB autoregulates its own expression in vivo.
Analysis of the development of the nervous system of the zebrafish, Brachydanio rerio II. The effect of nerve growth factor and its antiserum on the nervous system of the zebrafish

Bueker (1948), investigating the effects of implanted tumors on the development of the nervous system of the chick embryo, found that sarcoma 180 caused enlargement (hypertrophy and hyperplasia) of the spinal ganglia in the segments adjacent to it. The motor columns, however, were not enlarged. He suggested that the sarcoma provided a selective periphery with mechanical and histochemical properties which favored sensory innervation. Subsequently other mouse sarcomas were found to have similar effects. Levi-Montalcini & Hamburger (1951) found that the sarcoma stimulated growth of the sympathetic ganglia to a greater extent than the spinal ganglia. Similar results were obtained when the tumor was grafted on to the chorioallantoic membrane, where the tumor and embryo share circulation but establish no direct contact, so it was hypothesized that a humoral factor from the tumor was responsible for the enlargement of the ganglia (Levi-Montalcini & Hamburger, 1953).
Advances in Early Communication and Language Intervention

Learning to communicate using speech and language is a primary developmental task for young children. Delays in the acquisition of language are one of the earliest indicators of developmental defic...
Reliability of femoral artery sampling during cardiopulmonary resuscitation

A study was undertaken to determine whether femoral arterial blood gas (ABG) content adequately reflects central oxygenation and acid base status during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from fibrillatory arrest in the canine model. Six dogs were fibrillated electrically. After 3 minutes, CPR was begun. ABG samples were taken simultaneously from femoral and thoracic aortic catheters at 0, 3, 8, 13, 23, and 28 minutes of ventricular fibrillation. Pair analysis revealed a statistically significant difference between aortic and femoral PO 2 values throughout the duration of external chest compression and assisted ventilation (P 2 was 12% more than the femoral PO 2 . There was no difference in pH and PCO 2 between the femoral and aortic blood gas samples. The lower femoral PO 2 observed may be the result of poorer blood flow to the lower half of the body. It was concluded that femoral PO 2 underestimates aortic PO 2 during external chest compression and assisted ventilation in the canine model.
Low-dimensional exciton reactions

Abstract A formalism for low-dimensional reaction kinetics is presented. Triplet-exciton annihilation experiments demonstrate the utility of this approach for low-dimensional and ultra-small samples: (I) naphthalene wires ranging down to a radius of a few nanometres; (2) percolation clusters at criticality (and above) where a site is a single naphthalene molecule but the system is a single crystal (ideal isotopic alloy). Exciton hopping and fusion provide a new, sensitive tool for the topological mapping of disordered films, surface aggregates, porous materials and fine powders. It also suggests a new approach to soliton and electron-hole recombination kinetics and to diffusion-limited reactions on surfaces, in pores and in other locally heterogeneous media.
The Awareness Network, To Whom Should I Display My Actions? And, Whose Actions Should I Monitor?

The concept of awareness plays a pivotal role in research in Computer-Supported Cooperative Work. Recently, software engineering researchers interested in the collaborative nature of software development have explored the implications of this concept in the design of software development tools. A critical aspect of awareness is the associated coordinative work practices of displaying and monitoring actions. This aspect concerns how colleagues monitor one another's actions to understand how these actions impact their own work and how they display their actions in such a way that others can easily monitor them while doing their own work. In this paper, we focus on an additional aspect of awareness: the identification of the social actors who should be monitored and the actors to whom their actions should be displayed. We address this aspect by presenting software developers' work practices based on ethnographic data from three different software development teams. In addition, we illustrate how these work practices are influenced by different factors, including the organizational setting, the age of the project, and the software architecture. We discuss how our results are relevant for both CSCW and software engineering researchers.
Kernel principal subspace Mahalanobis distances for outlier detection

Over the last few years, Kernel Principal Component Analysis (KPCA) has found several applications in outlier detection. A relatively recent method uses KPCA to compute the reconstruction error (RE) of previously unseen samples and, via thresholding, to identify atypical samples. In this paper we propose an alternative method, which performs the same task, but considers Mahalanobis distances in the orthogonal complement of the subspace that is utilized to compute the reconstruction error. In order to illustrate its merits, we provide qualitative and quantitative results on both artificial and real datasets and we show that it is competitive, if not superior, for several outlier detection tasks, when compared to the original RE-based variant and the One-Class SVM detection approach.
Design requirements and reference trajectory generation for a copier paperpath

Presents an approach to introducing closed loop control in a copier paperpath in order to achieve robust, high-speed media handling. The basic idea exploits periodicity in the relative position of correctly fed sheets and their corresponding images. It is shown that the periodic behavior allows to design polynomial position reference trajectories for sheets as a function of their initial position error. Only longitudinal position errors are considered. By measuring sheet positions and using closed loop control to track the reference trajectories, position errors can be successfully removed. In addition to the reference trajectories, the paper also offers a design strategy that minimizes the required paperpath length while satisfying given bounds on sheet velocities and accelerations. Two examples, each with different initial error bounds, illustrate the design algorithm.
Is Your Electronic Health Record Working for You and Your Patients

![Figure][1] Do you have an electronic health record (EHR/EMR)? Does your office EHR talk to your hospital EHR? Does it communicate with a referring physician? Has your EHR made your life easier, or has its presence made your work more challenging? Do you think it has enhanced your ability
Working with Farmers to Achieve Maximum Production

EACH of five differently functioning groups of agricultural and governmental agencies is vitally interested in working with farmers to achieve maximum production in agriculture. These five groups of agencies include governmental war agencies, research agencies, educational agencies, action agencies and pressure groups. Each of these groups considers increased agricultural production to be one of its functions and a major part of its contribution to the war effort. Would not past experience and recent confusion of responsibilities indicate that each group might make a greater contribution through a unified cooperative program to maximize production? Cooperative effort succeeds best where there is a clear definition of responsibility for each party involved. Nine steps have been outlined in a program in which the major responsibility of each group is indicated. These suggested steps may seem theoretical, idealistic or unattainable because of the large amount of cooperation, coordination and planning required. However, it is the thesis of this paper that the degree of success in maximizing agricultural production will be determined by the amount of such cooperation, coordination and planning as is accomplished on a national, state and county level. On the other hand, some may say that each of these steps is already being carried out-and to a certain degree this is true but in a very piece-meal, quite unrelated and in some cases in a very conflicting
NMR Study of Ortho-Molecular Hydrogen in Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon

Using NMR, the concentrations of molecular hydrogen have been measured directly in hydrogenated amorphous silicon made by the hot wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) technique.
The Determinants of Audit Committee Elections

Voting in directors’ elections is one of few mechanisms by which shareholders can influence corporate governance choices. We study elections of directors who serve on the audit committee (AC), a topic receiving little attention in past work. Our results show that AC members receive greater shareholder support than other independent board members. We further find that among AC members, more qualified members in terms of accounting expertise receive greater support while AC chairs without such expertise receive lower support. In addition, when the AC does not effectively monitor the financial reporting process, its members receive lower shareholder approval while other independent board members are less affected by these same financial reporting factors. Finally, auditor ratification and audit committee election results show that shareholders hold auditors and audit committee members accountable for different aspects of financial reporting.
318 HEALTH CARE POST-KATRINA: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MEDICATION DONATIONS TO POSTDISASTER CLINICS.

Background In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, numerous postdisaster clinics relied on charitable donations of supplies and medications. Some medications were donated in excess, whereas others were limited in availability. Prior studies of posthurricane health care in the United States do not consistently offer evidence-based recommendations for directing such donations. Therefore, our primary study objective is to describe specific chief complaints, final diagnoses, and medications prescribed at a post-Katrina clinic to better inform future medication donations in similar situations. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of 465 patient visits from September 2, 2005, to October 22, 2005, at a post-Katrina clinic in New Orleans. This temporary clinic was open for 7 weeks to provide free urgent and primary care services in the central business district after the storm. Using logistic regression, we examined the relationship between patient characteristics, date of visit, type of chief complaint (injury, illness, medication refills), final diagnosis, and type of medication prescribed. Results Among the 465 visits, 62% occurred during the fourth and fifth weeks; 6.9% were repeat visits; 62% visits were with male patients; and the average patient age was 44 years (14 SD). Among 342 patient visits involving illness-related chief complaints, 30% included ENT complaints, 21% dermatology related, and 13.5% cardiovascular. Patient age, gender, or date of visit did not affect the odds of presenting with an illness complaint. Among 124 visits for prescription refill requests, 57% were for cardiovascular medications (ACEI/beta-blockers/calcium-channel blockers/diuretics/nitrates/anticoagulants), and 40.3% endocrine medications (hypoglycemics/thyroid/lipid lowering). After adjusting for age, gender, and date of visit, encounters with older patients versus younger patients, women versus men and later visits versus earlier visits were more likely to involve medication refill requests (adjusted OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.0-1.1, adjusted OR 2.5 [1.6-3.9]), adjusted OR 1.2 [1.0-1.5], respectively). There were 49 visits for injury-related complaints. Among all 465 visits, 22% had infection-related final diagnosis, and antibiotics were prescribed for 16% of visits. Other common treatments included NSAIDs (15% visits), inhalers/cough suppressants (14%), and antihistamine/leukotriene inhibitor/nasal steroids (13%). Conclusions The most useful classes of medication donations postdisaster include antihypertensives, hypoglycemics, thyroid and lipid-lowering agents, antibiotics, analgesics, respiratory, and antiallergy.
Conductive characteristic of anticorrosion coating for flue gas cleaning equipment by corona discharge

This paper developed a kind of anticorrosion and conductive coating for flue gas cleaning equipment by corona discharge and studied on the conductive characteristic of coating.The conduction mechanism of coating is the integration of percolation,tunnel effect,and electric field effect within the coating.The specific resistance of the coating decreased markedly with the increasing of particle size and quantity of the padding.The influence of the temperature on specific resistance is negligible however.The specific resistance of coating was in the level of 102-104 Ω·cm.With the coating on plate electrode,the DC corona current reduces a little,but the pulse corona discharge waveform was not changed.The coating has no influence on the flue gas cleaning effect by corona discharge.The coating is applicable for anticorrosion of flue gas cleaning equipment by corona discharge.
Investigation on knowledge and behavior of AIDS and related services among female sex workers in Wuhu City

[Objective]To acquire the awareness rate of AIDS related knowledge,the features of sexual behaviors and related services among female sex workers( FSW) in Wuhu City,provide scientific evidence for effective interventions.[Methods]FSW were sampled by stratified convenient sampling method and the data was collected by anonymous questionnaire.[Results]Among 405 investigated FSW,the awareness rate of AIDS related knowledge was 95. 1%,the condom use rate at the last sexual intercourse was 88. 6%,and condom use rate during every act of sexual intercourse was 82. 7% in the recent month. By logistic regression analysis,the influencing factors of condom use during every act of sexual intercourse included grade of place( OR = 4. 713,P = 0. 000), the awareness rate of AIDS related knowledge( OR = 6. 240,P = 0. 001),married,divorced or widowed FSW( OR = 3. 067, P = 0. 000),and FSW who had received a voluntary counseling testing in last year( OR = 2. 256,P = 0. 002). There were significant differences in the constituent ratio of FSW receiving the HIV / AIDS prevention related services among groups with different age, marital status and the awareness rate of AIDS related knowledge( P 0. 05). [Conclusion]The awareness rate of AIDS related knowledge among FSW is generally high in Wuhu City,but it is important to improve the self-protection awareness among FSW.
Liquid chromatographic method for determination of citreoviridin in corn and rice.

Mode operatoire d'une methode de dosage de cette mycotoxine. La limite de detection est de l'ordre de 2 μg/g dans le mais ou le riz fermente par Penicillium citreoviride
Unraveling the Coil of the Wild: Geospatial Technology and Wilderness

The question of wilderness and technology has been widely debated in the human dimensions of natural resources, with scholars showing the impacts of technology upon the wilderness experience. However, these works have not fully addressed the impact of geographic information system technology on wild space. Our chapter addresses the impact of GIS on wild space with special attention to how wild space is misunderstood as mere resource to be discretely ordered and regulated. Specifically, this chapter looks at both the existential thinking of Martin Heidegger and more contemporary social-ecological work. We show how geospatial technology surreptitiously divides information about wild space from being in wild space. We discuss the phenomena of Google Trekker and remote viewing, and juxtapose them against being in wild space. We dismiss the misconception that geospatial representation does justice to the focal space held by wilderness. We argue that specific danger lies in any blind assumption that geospatial wilderness data exhausts the truth of wild space. In conclusion, this chapter, by closely examining the systemization of wild space information, sheds new light on the potentially overlooked difference between understanding wildness and understanding geospatial wilderness attributes.
Sacred and Secular: Secularization and Its Consequences

since the september 2001 terrorist attacks, and their aftermath in Afghanistan and Iraq, public interest in cultural and religious differences around the world has grown tremendously, and the debate about secularization theory and its recent critiques has seemed to become increasingly relevant to contemporary concerns. The idea of secularization has a long and distinguished history in the social sciences, with many seminal thinkers arguing that religiosity was declining throughout Western societies. Yet the precise reasons for this erosion of spirituality were not entirely clear. By the mid-1960s the popular claim that religion was in a state of terminal decline rested upon flimsy evidence. Its proponents cited empirical evidence of declining churchgoing in Western Europe, and a handful of case studies that fit the thesis, rather than a systematic examination of empirical evidence from many countries. It was not surprising, therefore, that during the last decade American sociologists mounted a sustained counterattack on the basic premises of secularization theory. This critique put many former proponents on the defensive; Peter Berger recanted former claims, noting that many exceptions had accumulated that appeared to challenge the basic prophesies of Weber and Durkheim – pointing to the continuing vitality of the Christian Right in the United States, the evangelical revival in Latin America, the new freedom of religion in post-Communist Europe, the reported resurgence of Islam in the Middle East, or evidence that religious practices and beliefs continued to thrive throughout most of Africa and Asia.
Long-Term Management Problems in Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)/Willis-Ekbom Disease (WED)

Long-term consequences of drug treatment of restless legs syndrome (RLS) poses a serious challenge for the clinicians because of vexing undesirable side effects, which compromise the efficacy of treatment and force some patients to discontinue medication. This chapter addresses these long-term consequences to RLS treatment, which could be both disease-related and medication-related issues. In addition, this chapter briefly discusses how to manage or minimize these issues, and alternative treatment for intractable and refractory cases of RLS.
Changes in lease financing practice during lease accounting standard overhaul (2005-2014)

This study examines empirically the changes in lease financing practice since the International Accounting Standard Board (IASB) and the Financial Accounting Standard Board (FASB) launched their joint project to overhaul lease accounting standards. Under the proposed new lease standards, all existing and new lease contracts longer than 12 months, including the currently off-balance sheet operating leases, are required to be capitalised. Using a sample of retail sector firms from exchanges of seven different countries, I find an increase in contingent lease payments, which is consistent with the notion that companies will seek new off-balance sheet financing loopholes once existing ones are likely to be taken away. This study provides pertinent information to facilitate ongoing deliberation concerning lease accounting and assessment of the new lease accounting standards.
Mediators and Moderators of the Association Between Stalking Victimization and Psychological Distress

The current study aims to understand mediators and moderators of the relationship between stalking victimization and depression. Based on the reformulated learned helplessness theory, which emphasi...
Safety Communication Networks: Females in Small Work Crews

AbstractConstruction workers experience one of the highest workplace injury and fatality rates in the United States. Recent research has shown that worker demographics such as language affect safet...
Dysfunction of Membrane Trafficking Leads to Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury After Transient Cerebral Ischemia

Neurons require an extraordinarily high level of membrane trafficking activities because of enriched axonal terminals and dendritic branches. For that reason, defects in the membrane trafficking pathway are a hallmark of most, and may be all, neurodegenerative disorders. A major cellular membrane trafficking pathway is the Golgi apparatus (Golgi hereafter)-late endosome-lysosome axis for supplying lysosomal enzymes. This pathway is regulated by N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor (NSF) ATPase. This review article is to discuss a novel hypothesis that brain ischemia inactivates NSF ATPase, resulting in a cascade of events of disruption of the Golgi-endosome-lysosome pathway, release of cathepsin B (CTSB), and induction of mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP) during the postischemic phase. This hypothesis is supported by recent studies demonstrating that NSF is trapped into inactive protein aggregates in neurons destined to die after brain ischemia. Consequently, Golgi, transport vesicles (TVs), and late endosomes (LEs) are accumulated and damaged, which is followed by CTSB release from these damaged structures. Moderate release of CTSB cleaves Bax-like BH3 protein (Bid) to become active truncated Bid (tBid). Active tBid is then translocated to the mitochondrial outer membrane, resulting in oligomerization of BCL2-associated X protein (Bax) forming the mitochondrial outer membrane pores, and releasing mitochondrial intramembranous proteins. Extensive CTSB release, however, can digest cellular proteins indiscriminately to induce cell death. Based on these new observations, we propose a novel hypothesis, i.e., brain ischemia leads to NSF inactivation, resulting in a massive buildup of damaged Golgi, TVs and LEs, fatal release of CTSB, induction of MOMP, and eventually brain ischemia-reperfusion injury.
Economics of Energy Projects

When one asks the question, “why there are no more wind or solar photovoltaic power generation units in the world?” the simple answer is: “because fossil fuels and nuclear energy were cheaper sources to produce electricity in the near past.” When a new coal power plant produces a kWh at 3.5 cents and an old nuclear power plant for less than 1 cent per kWh, it is difficult for an electricity producing corporation to justify purchasing a wind turbine that would produce electricity at 12 cents per kWh or a solar farm that would produce at 16 cents per kWh. When the price of electricity produced from renewable sources of energy becomes less than the price produced from conventional energy sources, the economic considerations will favor the development of more geothermal units, solar plants, wind generators, etc. A combination of rising fossil fuel prices, the probable initiation of carbon credits, and a favorable regulatory environment that provides tax credits and accelerated depreciation may change these economic and financial circumstances for alternative energy. This chapter provides a succinct exposition of the entire decision making process that leads to the construction and operation of a power plant, from the realization of the need for more electric power, to the enumeration of the alternatives, to the choice of the optimum alternative solution that maximizes profitability for a corporation or, equivalently, provides the needed amount of electric energy at minimum cost. Central to the financial considerations are the concept of the time-value of funds and the Net Present Value method for the appraisal of an investment. Because this book is aimed for the engineering student with little or no knowledge of economics and finance, the level of this chapter is rather elementary. There are no highly sophisticated economic concepts and methods to be presented, while simple and comprehensive definitions of all the concepts used are offered in the text.
River Reach Delineations and Beaver Movement in Grand Teton National Park

This project had two components, with the first component providing a background for the second component. Water resources in Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) are both unregulated and regulated by human management. The Jackson Lake Dam and the ponds scattered across the park influence the flow of water. In the process of managing the water it is important to have knowledge of the different components of the streams through which the water flows. One component of this project was to examine the different segments of the major rivers in GTNP and identify the river forms that are displayed by the different reaches of the Snake River above and below Jackson Lake, Buffalo Fork and Pacific Creek. The river form can be segregated into three main categories; the single channel, the meandering channel and the braided channel (Knighton 1984). The different river forms are part of the overall structural composition of the river and can be used to delineate the segments or reaches of the river. The river continuum concept presented by Vannote et al. (1980) provides a theoretical background upon which to construct the river reach system. In 2007, Nelson (2007) completed a reach system project while investigating the fluvial geomorphology of the Snake River below Jackson Lake Dam (Figure 1.). His 20 river reaches provided a zonation of the river that incorporated a range of geomorphic features. This same type of system can be used throughout the GTNP so that researchers have a common spatial unit designation when referencing portions of the Snake River and its tributaries. Ackers (1988) in his work on alluvial channel hydraulics identified three dimensions of meanders that should be considered; width, depth and slope. He further agreed with Hey (1978) that there are nine factors that define river geometry and that these should be considered as well: average bank full velocity, hydraulic mean depth, maximum bank full depth, slope, wave length of bed forms, their mean height, bank full wetted perimeter, channel sinuousity and arc length of meanders. Nelsonâs work (Nelson 2007) added another parameter by including a braiding index into the representation of river reach designations. In a more recent work, the Livers and Wohl (2014) study confirmed Nelsonâs approach by comparing reach characteristics between glacial and fluvial process domains using similar reach designation characteristics to determine reach differences.