cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antibiotic use and infection in snakebite victims.

Objectives. To determine the incidence of infection in snakebite patients, the bacterial species involved, and the indication for antibiotics. Method, A prospective trial was undertaken at Eshowe Hospital, KwaZulu-Natal, involving 363 snakebite patients (records available for 310 patients). It was protocol not to give antibiotics unless necrosis was present or anticipated. species were identified from necrotic areas and A swelling classification was devised. Results. The syndromic presentation included no clinical (12%), painful swelling (85%), weakness venom ophthalmia (0.6%) and other presentations (0.6%). There was 1 death, of an 11-year-old with gross swelling and thrombocytopema. 15.2% of patients received Protocol was broken in 23 patients. None of the who did not receive an antibiotic became infected, and hospital stay was not prolonged in this group. Of 20 18 were Gram-negative aerobic anaerobes were cultured. Conclusions. Antibiotics should be reserved for those snakebite patients with necrosis (< 10%) and should cover Gram-negative aerobic bacilli and Cram-positive aerobic cocci.
Therapeutic alliance, expressed emotion, and treatment outcome for anorexia nervosa in a family-based partial hospitalization program

Adolescent therapeutic alliance has been found to be associated with improvements in eating disorder cognitions and with early weight gain. The current study assessed patient and parent therapeutic alliance, correlates of parent alliance, and relationship between alliance and treatment outcome. Fifty-six patients with anorexia nervosa completed measures of therapeutic alliance and eating disorder symptoms. Patients' parents completed measures of therapeutic alliance, expressed emotion, and psychopathology. Patients' alliance predicted cognitive and behavioral symptomatology at end of treatment (β=-0.39, p=0.001), though it was not related to changes in weight (β=0.12, p=0.377). Maternal hostility was associated with lower maternal alliance (r=-0.34, p=0.05). Findings suggest that maternal hostility should be addressed in treatment, and that patient alliance may be important in achieving psychological recovery from disordered eating.
Molecular Zinc Species with Ge–Zn and Sn–Zn Bonds: A Reversible Insertion of a Stannylene into a Zinc–Carbon Bond

The tetrylenes Ge(ArMe6)2 and Sn(ArMe6)2 (ArMe6 = C6H3-2,6-(C6H2-2,4,6-(CH3)3)2) reacted with dimethylzinc to afford the insertion products (ArMe6)2Ge(Me)ZnMe (1) and (ArMe6)2Sn(Me)ZnMe (3), which feature Ge–Zn and Sn–Zn bonds as well as two-coordinate zinc atoms. Crystals of 1 were found to be unsuitable for X-ray crystallography, so the ethyl-substituted (ArMe6)2Ge(Et)ZnEt (2) was synthesized in a parallel way to provide crystals suitable for X-ray studies. These showed the structure to be similar to that of 3. The reaction of Pb(ArMe6)2 with dimethylzinc yielded ArMe6ZnMe with a linearly coordinated zinc atom via ligand exchange but no characterizable, new lead product was obtained. The reaction of Sn(ArMe6)2 with dimethylzinc is reversible in hydrocarbon solution at room temperature and displayed a dissociation constant Kdiss and a ΔGdiss of 0.0028(5) and 14(4) kJ mol–1 at 298 K, respectively. Compounds 1–4 were characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopy as well as by X-ray crystallography for 1, 3, and 4.
Live-bearing Fishes (Poeciliidae)

Pregnancy and livebearing (viviparity) are not confined to mammals. These phenomena also characterize many other organisms, including freshwater fishes in the New World family Poeciliidae. In these inch-long creatures, impregnated females may carry dozens of offspring, internally, before eventually giving birth to live young. Because a pregnant female is physically associated with the embryos she bears, superb opportunities arise to use molecular markers from each pregnant mother and members of her brood to decipher genetic paternity within the clutch (much as in conventional paternity analyses in humans). Even more remarkable is the fact that several poeciliid fishes are unisexual species that consist solely of females. These females reproduce by asexual or quasi-sexual cytological mechanisms related to parthenogenesis (virgin birth) or other similar procreative modes.
Power-Sharing and Partition amid Israel–Palestine

AbstractThis paper reviews the deep difficulties entailed in achieving a two-state solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. It shows that there are equally deep difficulties in seeking to achieve standard power-sharing prescriptions in the region. The status quo, however, is neither acceptable nor likely to be stable in the medium term. A power-sharing perspective may, however, productively assist in making a two-state solution work better, and, paradoxically, may also assist the credibility of those who advocate a one-state solution.
Documenting moral agency: a qualitative analysis of abortion decision making for fetal indications

Abstract Objectives We explored whether the decision-making process of women aborting a pregnancy for a fetal indication fit common medical ethical frameworks. Study design We applied three ethical frameworks (principlism, care ethics, and narrative ethics) in a secondary analysis of 30 qualitative interviews from women choosing 2nd trimester abortion for fetal indications. Results All 30 women offered reasoning consistent with one or more ethical frameworks. Principlism themes included avoidance of personal suffering (autonomy), and sparing a child a poor quality of life and painful medical interventions (beneficence/non-maleficence). Care ethics reasoning included relational considerations of family needs and resources, and narrative ethics reasoning contextualized this experience into the patient's life story. Conclusions This population's universal application of commonly accepted medical ethical frameworks supports the position that patients choosing fetal indication abortions should be treated as moral decision-makers and given the same respect as patients making decisions about other medical procedures. Implications These findings suggest recent political efforts blocking abortion access should be reframed as attempts to undermine the moral decision-making of women.
Communication Development in Rett Syndrome

The development of linguistic communication in 17 children with Rett syndrome was investigated by a parent questionnaire based on the Clinical Linguistic Auditory Milestone Scale in a study at the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
SOI MOSFET on low cost SPIMOX substrate

Separation by plasma implantation of oxygen (SPIMOX) is a low-cost, high-throughput process for fabricating silicon on insulator (SOI) substrates. MOSFETs are fabricated on SPIMOX substrates and their characteristics are reported for the first time. The transistor characteristics and effective electron mobility of the silicon layer are compared to that in commercial separation by implantation of oxygen (SIMOX) wafers. The effect of the back gate on the channel, which is unique to SOI, is observed. The gate oxides and surface roughness of SPIMOX wafers are also studied.
Amphiphilic-Polymer-Guided Plasmonic Assemblies and Their Biomedical Applications.

Plasmonic nanostructures with unique physical and biological properties have attracted increased attention for potential biomedical applications. Polymers grafted on metal nanoparticle surface can be used as assembly regulating molecules to guide nanoparticles organize into ordered or hierarchical structures in solution, within condensed phases, or at interfaces. In this Topical Review, we will highlight recent efforts on self-assembly of gold nanoparticles coated with polymer brushes. How and what kind of polymer graft can be used to adjust nanoparticle interactions, to dictate interparticle orientation, and to determine assembled nanostructures will be discussed. Furthermore, the Topical Review will shed light on the physicochemical properties, including self-assembly behavior and kinetics, tunable localized surface plasmon resonance effect, enhanced surface enhanced Raman scattering, and other optical and thermal properties. The potential of self-assembled nanostructures for applications in different f...
This land is your land, maybe: A historical institutionalist analysis for contextualizing split estate conflicts in U.S. unconventional oil and gas development

In the 21st century, the U.S. has experienced a boom in unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD). In part due to advances in technology, this rapid increase in UOGD has moved extraction practices into geographic areas that have previously seen little or no oil and gas development. As a result, conflicts over property rights have erupted—particularly in relation to split estate situations. To understand this controversy, we must situate it in the conditions which have shaped land use and mineral rights. We argue that past federal and state level governance decisions have created the conditions for UOGD conflicts today. Here, we utilize historical institutionalism (HI) to review the historical actors, processes, and institutions that have shaped how mineral rights have developed in the context of split estates in the U.S. We suggest that tracing this legislative and judicial history through HI is an essential foundation for exploring issues related to UOGD. Most importantly, we highlight these processes of governance as a bedrock for understanding spatial inequality inherent in current split estate law that grants the mineral estate dominance over the surface estate. We suggest that this codification of spatial inequality is problematic both in and beyond the context of split estates in UOGD.
The effects of forced small-wavelength, finite-bandwidth initial perturbations and miscibility on the turbulent Rayleigh–Taylor instability

Rayleigh–Taylor instability experiments are performed using both immiscible and miscible incompressible liquid combinations having a relatively large Atwood number of . The liquid-filled tank is attached to a test sled that is accelerated downwards along a vertical rail system using a system of weights and pulleys producing approximately net acceleration. The tank is backlit and images are digitally recorded using a high-speed video camera. The experiments are either initiated with forced initial perturbations or are left unforced. The forced experiments have an initial perturbation imposed by vertically oscillating the liquid-filled tank to produce Faraday waves at the interface. The unforced experiments rely on random interfacial fluctuations, resulting from background noise, to seed the instability. The main focus of this study is to determine the effects of forced initial perturbations and the effects of miscibility on the growth parameter, . Measurements of the mixing-layer width, , are acquired, from which is determined. It is found that initial perturbations of the form used in this study do not affect measured values. However, miscibility is observed to strongly affect , resulting in a factor of two reduction in its value, a finding not previously observed in past experiments. In addition, all measured values are found to be smaller than those obtained in previous experimental studies.
A New Corporate Ethics and Leadership Paradigm for the Age of Creativity

We are no longer an industrial economy characterized by assembly lines; we are now in a knowledge economy where creativity is what matters and the old ways of running a firm simply do not work. This paper discusses a new paradigm for corporate ethics and leadership that includes factors that provide long-term value such as employee engagement, building a learning organization, corporate social responsibility, and the reputation of the organization.
Contribution of Biosensors to Enhancing Performance for Users with Special Needs

This paper describes two lines of research addressing the use of biosensors for populations with disabilities. The first line of research focused on deriving changing cognitive state information from the patterns of data acquired from users with the goal of improving presentation of multimedia computer information. Detecting individual differences via performance and psychometric tools can be supplemented by using real-time physiological sensors such as eye tracking and pressure applied to a computer mouse. We describe a computer task that demonstrates how to identify cognitive state and discuss types of physiological and cognitive state measures and associated advantages and disadvantages. Adaptive information filtering is discussed as a model for using the physiological information to improve individual performance. In the second line of research we interviewed participants with disabilities in an engineering vocational training program about their needs and suggestions for assistive devices that incorporate biosensors.
Adipose-resident group 1 innate lymphoid cells promote obesity-associated insulin resistance

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are the most recently identified arm of the innate immune system that function to protect epithelial barriers against pathogens and maintain tissue homeostasis. While ILCs can also promote pathology at these mucosal sites, it remains unknown whether aberrant activation of tissue-resident ILCs can contribute to disease in non-barrier tissues. Here, we identify a subset of long-term adipose-resident ILC1 that are dependent on the transcription factors Nfil3 and T-bet, but phenotypically and functionally distinct from circulating mature natural killer (NK) cells. Diet-induced obesity drove early proinflammatory cytokine production in adipose tissue depots, leading to selective proliferation and accumulation of adipose-resident ILC1s. ILC1-derived IFN-γ was both necessary and sufficient to drive proinflammatory macrophage polarization to promote obesity-associated insulin resistance. Therefore, these findings suggest that adipose-resident ILC1s contribute to obesity-associated pathology in response to dysregulated local proinflammatory cytokine production.
Phenodynamics of Production in a Mesic Deciduous Forest

Climatologists and agrometeorologists have predicted phenological events in many ways, e.g., to select optimum seeding dates (Hopkins, 1938) or to plan agricultural practices, particularly in Europe (Molga, 1962; Schnelle, 1955), as well as in crop pest control to maximize production (Hopp et al., 1969; Wallin, 1967; Woods, 1969). In terms of economic investment, quantitative phenology (phenometry) has been applied successfully to predict harvest dates, and to schedule agricultural practices, insuring both quality and an even flow of produce to food processors (Bomalaski, 1948; Brown, 1952; Katz, 1952; Newman et al., 1967; Seaton, 1955). In defining the beginning, duration, and end of seasons phenological observations may be better indices of the bioclimatic character of local areas than recordings made by mechanical instruments (Hopkins, 1918, 1938). Specific plants and selected phenological events might be useful as indicators on which to key major land management practices and productivity studies (Caprio, 1966; Lieth and Radford, 1971). The International Biological Program (IBP) has provided an impetus for incorporating phenological considerations into basic ecological studies such as analyses of ecosystems (Bliss, 1967).
Direct detection of Coccidioides from Arizona soils using CocciENV, a highly sensitive and specific real-time PCR assay

Coccidioides immitis and Coccidioides posadasii are soil fungi endemic to desert regions of the southwestern United States, and the causative agents of valley fever, or coccidioidomycosis. Studies have shown that the distribution of Coccidioides in soils is sporadic and cannot be explained by soil characteristics alone, suggesting that biotic and other abiotic factors should be examined. However, tools to reliably and robustly screen the large number of soils needed to investigate these potential associations have not been available. Thus, we developed a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for testing environmental samples by modifying CocciDx, an assay validated for testing clinical specimens to facilitate coccidioidomycosis diagnosis. For this study, we collected soil samples from previously established locations of C. posadasii in Arizona and new locations in fall 2013 and spring 2014, and screened the extracted DNA with the new assay known as CocciEnv. To verify the presence of Coccidioides in soil using an alternate method, we employed next generation amplicon sequencing targeting the ITS2 region. Results show our modified assay, CocciEnv, is a rapid and robust method for detecting Coccidioides DNA in complex environmental samples. The ability to test a large number of soils for the presence of Coccidioides is a much-needed tool in the understanding of the ecology of the organism and epidemiology of the disease and will greatly improve our understanding of this human pathogen.
Sub-Saharan Africa, Health Systems of

The primary purpose of health systems is the health improvement of the population. Those who implement health systems are accountable for excess deaths and illness resulting from diseases that are preventable and/or curable, therefore, the need for efficiency and high-quality service provision is critical. Focusing on sub-Saharan Africa, this article examines health systems by relating performance to composition of health systems, access to health care, and financing issues. To date, health systems of sub-Saharan Africa have failed to decrease inequities and respond to people's expectations. Governments are responsible for the performance of health systems. However, inadequate governmental spending in the region to develop finance-appropriate health-care systems perpetuates the provision of low-quality services.
Ecotoxicology: The History and Present Directions

Ecotoxicology is a young science focused on contaminants in the biosphere and their effects at all levels of the biological hierarchy. It draws together principles and information from diverse fields including biogeochemistry, ecology, and toxicology. Most current ecotoxicology knowledge is biased toward lower levels, that is, biomolecular to whole organism, but there is a general movement to more carefully consider potential higher level effects. Ecotoxicologists may focus chiefly on scientific, technical, or practical aspects of the field. Scientific ecotoxicologists are currently integrating knowledge and causal explanations emerging from all levels of biological organization. Ecotoxicological technologists are rapidly developing novel methods of estimating exposure to and effects of diverse contaminants. Practical ecotoxicologists apply scientific explanations and technical tools of ecotoxicology to estimate the risk associated with and suggest remediation actions for specific contamination events.
Engaging and motivating computing activities with computational thinking concepts you can use

Even before entering middle school students have been exposed to some of the conceptual methods and skill sets that underlie computational thinking (CT). For example, elementary school aged children begin using problem-solving and abstraction in Mathematics, English and Geography when they study word problems, learn about sentence structures and grammar rules, and work with maps. However, prior to middle school the problem sets tend to be concrete and scaffolded to aid the student in learning the foundations needed to work with complex problems. As children develop their cognitive capacities, they should be able to explore and learn about CT in a more abstract and generalizable fashion. However, when computing technology is added to the design and implementation of a solution it can be overwhelming for those who may not be comfortable turning to technology for answers. For this reason, problem solving can be difficult for young people who haven't learned the role technology may have in their lives now or in the future.
Synovial Joint Mechanics

Up to this point, this book has primarily discussed bone, but we now put aside this tissue and direct our attention to the soft tissues of the skeletal system. In this chapter we explore the mechanics of synovial joints, and in the last chapter, tendons and ligaments. However, we must not forget what we have learned about bone, because its presence heavily influences the characteristics of the new tissues we are going to study.
Updates on hepatic homeostasis and the many tiers of hepatobiliary repair.

Deciphering the complex circuitry of liver homeostasis and repair is required to improve regenerative therapies for hepatic diseases. Studies in 2018 have identified subsets of hepatic cells that have unique reparative abilities and clarified the role of biomechanical forces and hepatobiliary reprogramming as sustainable modes of tissue repair.
Framework for Analyzing Aircraft Community Noise Impacts of Advanced Operational Flight Procedures

A framework for analyzing the aircraft community noise impacts of advanced operational approach and departure procedures was developed. In this framework, the altitude, position, velocity, thrust, ...
An ontology for representing hematologic malignancies: the cancer cell ontology

Within the cancer domain, ontologies play an important role in the integration and annotation of data in order to support numerous biomedical tools and applications. This work seeks to leverage existing standards in immunophenotyping cell types found in hematologic malignancies to provide an ontological representation of them to aid in data annotation and analysis for patient data. We have developed the Cancer Cell Ontology according to OBO Foundry principles as an extension of the Cell Ontology. We define classes in Cancer Cell Ontology by using a genus-differentia approach using logical axioms capturing the expression of cellular surface markers in order to represent types of hematologic malignancies. By adopting conventions used in the Cell Ontology, we have created human and computer-readable definitions for 300 classes of blood cancers, based on the EGIL classification system for leukemias, and relying upon additional classification approaches for multiple myelomas and other hematologic malignancies. We have demonstrated a proof of concept for leveraging the built-in logical axioms of the ontology in order to classify patient surface marker data into appropriate diagnostic categories. We plan to integrate our ontology into existing tools for flow cytometry data analysis to facilitate the automated diagnosis of hematologic malignancies.
Gesturing the source domain: The role of co-speech gesture in the metaphorical models of gender transition

Abstract Gesture is aptly described as a “backdoor” to cognition (Sweetser, 2007, p. 203). Co-speech gesture has been shown to aid in the representation of abstract concepts (Parrill & Sweetser, 2004) and, specifically, encode metaphorical source domains (Cienki, 1998). This paper examines how co-speech gesture aligns with spoken and written narrative to support a spatially based representation of gender identity. Repeated gestural patterns include inward facing palms used to mime fictive category boundaries, gestural mapping of motion across metaphorical gender regions, manual deictic reference to interior and exterior self, and distancing from past gender assignment signaled through emblematic scare quotes. The data examined in this paper confirm the important role gesture plays in supplementing the instantiation of the metaphorical models that organize transgender speakers’ experience with and discussion of gender and transition.
The Neurocognitive Process of Digital Radicalization: A Theoretical Model and Analytical Framework

Recent studies suggest that empathy induced by narrative messages can effectively facilitate persuasion and reduce psychological reactance. Although limited, emerging research on the etiology of radical political behavior has begun to explore the role of narratives in shaping an individual’s beliefs, attitudes, and intentions that culminate in radicalization. The existing studies focus exclusively on the influence of narrative persuasion on an individual, but they overlook the necessity of empathy and that in the absence of empathy, persuasion is not salient. We argue that terrorist organizations are strategic in cultivating empathetic-persuasive messages using audiovisual materials, and disseminating their message within the digital medium. Therefore, in this paper we propose a theoretical model and analytical framework capable of helping us better understand the neurocognitive process of digital radicalization.
Are online surgical discussion boards a safe and useful venue for surgeons to ask for advice? A review of the International Hernia Collaboration Facebook Group.

Social media is a growing medium for disseminating information among surgeons. The International Hernia Collaboration Facebook Group (IHC) is a widely utilized social media platform to share ideas and advice on managing patients with hernia-related diseases. Our objective was to assess the safety and utility of advice provided. Overall, 60 consecutive de-identified clinical threads were extracted from the IHC in reverse chronological order. A group of three hernia specialists evaluated all threads for unsafe posts, unhelpful comments, and if an established evidence-based management strategy was provided. Positive and negative controls for safe and unsafe answers were included in seven threads and reviewers were blinded to their presence. Reviewers were free to access all online and professional resources (except the IHC). There were 598 unique responses (median 10, 1–26 responses per thread) to the 60 clinical threads/scenarios. The review team correctly identified all seven positive and negative controls. Most responses were safe (96.6%) but some were unhelpful (28.4%). For sixteen threads, the reviewers believed there was an established evidence-based answer; however, only six were provided. In addition, 14 responses were considered unsafe, but only four were corrected. The vast majority of responses were considered helpful; however, evidence-based management is typically not provided and unsafe recommendations often go uncontested. While the IHC allows wide dissemination of hernia-related surgical advice/discussions, surgeons should be cautious when using the IHC for clinical advice. Mechanisms to provide evidence-based management strategies and to identify unsafe advice are needed to improve quality within online forums and to prevent patient harm.
Pharmacological properties of whale shark (Rhincodon typus) melanocortin-2 receptor and melancortin-5 receptor: Interaction with MRAP1 and MRAP2.

Abstract In the current study, the whale shark (ws; Rhincodon typus) melanocortin-2 receptor (MC2R) co-expressed with wsMRAP1 in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) Cells could be stimulated in a dose dependent manner by ACTH(1–24) with an EC50 of 2.6 × 10−10 M ± 9.7 × 10−11. When the receptor was expressed alone, stimulation was only observed at [10−6 M]. A comparable increase in sensitivity to stimulation by srDes-Ac-αMSH was also observed when the receptor was co-expressed with wsMRAP1. In addition, co-expression with wsMRAP1 significantly increased the trafficking of wsMC2R to the plasma membrane of CHO cells. Surprisingly, co-expression with wsMRAP2 also increased sensitivity to stimulation by ACTH(1–24) and srDes-Ac-αMSH, and increased trafficking of the receptor to the plasma membrane. These observations are in sharp contrast to the response of MC2R orthologs of bony vertebrates which have an obligate requirement for co-expression with MRAP1 for both trafficking to the plasma membrane and activation, and while co-expression with MRAP2 increases trafficking, it has minimal effects on activation. In addition, when comparing the activation features of wsMC2R with those of the elephant shark MC2R and red stingray MC2R orthologs, both similarities and differences are observed. The spectrum of features for cartilaginous fish MC2R orthologs will be discussed. A second objective of this study was to determine whether wsMC5R has features in common with wsMC2R in terms of ligand selectivity and interaction with wsMRAP paralogs. While wsMC5R can be activated by either srACTH(1–24) or srDes-Ac-αMSH, and co-expression with wsMRAP1 enhances this activation, wsMRAP1 had no effect on the trafficking of wsMC5R. Co-expression with wsMRAP2 had no positive or negative effect on either ligand sensitivity or trafficking of wsMC5R.
Pedestrians Accept Shorter Distances to Light Vehicles Than Dark Ones When Crossing the Street.

Does the brightness of an approaching vehicle affect a pedestrian’s crossing decision? Thirty participants indicated their street-crossing intentions when facing approaching light or dark vehicles....
Simultaneity and selection in financial hardship and divorce

While the correlation between financial hardship and divorce is well-documented, the causality remains unclear: it is plausible that divorce causes hardship, that hardship encourages divorce, or that unobserved factors produce both outcomes. We specify a model that nests these possibilities and estimate it using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979. Structural estimates indicate divorce reduces the income/needs ratio in women’s households by 0.35 standard deviations, though this is partially offset by apparent anticipatory labor supply responses. We also find a negative structural error correlation between divorce and income/needs ratios, but no evidence that a change in hardship causes divorce.
A Language Fair, a Community and a Museum: The Role of Museum Anthropology in Sustained and Responsive Engagement

Founded in 2003 the Oklahoma Native American Youth Language Fair (ONAYLF) has become one of the largest gatherings of Native American language learners in the United States. The Fair is unquestionably the most significant and sustained interaction with Native American communities in the history of the Sam Noble Museum, quickly becoming a signature event that contributes to the museum’s reputation and stature. As the Fair gained increased prominence and importance in the Native American communities of Oklahoma and the surrounding regions it was consistently marginalized within the institutional culture of the museum. Over the course of our respective leadership of the ONAYLF we encountered the continued need for anthropological intervention to “re-institutionalize” a very successful program. In this report we focus on specific impacts of this failed ownership and the anthropological methods employed to address them. We conclude with an assessment of the ONAYLF in terms of on-going efforts to decolonize museum practice.
Cigarette Smoking and Competing Risks for Fatal and Nonfatal Cardiovascular Disease Subtypes Across the Life Course.

Background Cigarette smoking is significantly associated with premature death related and not related to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Whether risk associated with smoking is similar across CVD sub...
The National Board Certification process as professional development: Perceptions about the impact that characteristics of the process had on professional growth

1 Chapter 1: Introduction 3 Background for the Study 3 Overview of the Literature 7 Statement of the Problem 10 Rationale for the Study 12 Significance of the Study 13 Purpose of the Study 14 Research Questions 14 Methodology 15 Findings and Conclusions 16 Chapter 2: Literature Review 18 Method for Literature Review 18 Defining Effective Professional Development 19 Characteristics of High-Quality Professional Development 21 National Board Certification as Effective Professional Development 32 Summary of Literature Review 52
School Counselors and Clinical Supervision: Perspectives to Facilitate Counseling Services in the Schools

Abstract Clinical supervision reflects a critical component to the training and development of a school counselor. Unfortunately, despite the value placed on clinical supervision during graduate training, the importance of clinical supervision as continuing education for the practicing school counselor remains somewhat enigmatic. This article considers the concept of school-based clinical supervision as a valuable facet to a comprehensive continuing development program in special services.
Effects of Instrument Panel Luminance and Chromaticity on Reading Performance and Preference in Simulated Driving

Twenty-four subjects (men and women from three age groups) read aloud words presented on two displays emulating written legends on automobile instrument panels while driving a simulated vehicle in nighttime conditions. The words were presented in eight different chromaticities, two brightness levels, four character sizes, and two levels of word complexity. The results indicate that color of illumination per se had little effect on reading and driving performance but did have a reliable effect on subjective preference. Brightness had an effect on performance only for the two smaller character sizes. Character size had marked effects on both performance and subjective preferences. The two smaller character sizes yielded significant performance decrements for older drivers.
Treatment of a Prader-Willi Patient with Recurrent Catatonia

Prader-Willi is a genetic disorder characterized by neonatal hypotonia, hyperphagia, short stature, hypogonadism, and mental delay. This disorder can result from multiple mechanisms, most commonly a deletion of paternal chromosome 15, leaving a single maternally derived chromosome 15. Individuals who have a maternal uniparental disomy of chromosome 15 have a higher risk for developing psychosis compared to other forms of Prader-Willi. The following report details the treatment course of a 24-year-old female with Prader-Willi and recurrent catatonia. The patient initially had a positive lorazepam challenge test but subsequently failed treatment with benzodiazepines. She then received eight electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) treatments after which she showed improvement from initial catatonic state. However, the resolution in her symptoms did not follow a linear course but would show periods of improvement followed by a return of catatonic features. This case provides an example of the complexity of treatment of a patient with a genetic disorder and recurrent catatonia.
Ingredients of urban pediatric health care: fourth world pediatrics.

The article by Fairbrother et al1 is an indictment of the quality of care provided to disadvantaged children in "Medicaid Mills" in New York City. The missed opportunities to immunize and to test for lead poisoning and tuberculosis represent misused opportunities that are avoidable and tragic. The International Covenant on the Rights of the Child was adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on November 19, 1989.2 This covenant stated the principle that children require safeguards and care, including the highest attainable standard of health and access to facilities to ensure that no child is deprived of her or his right to such health services.
Redefining Interoperability: Understanding Police Communication Task Environments

The goal of this research is to understand the concept of police communication environments related to interoperable issues. Interoperability is critical to both inter- and intra- organizational communication. Especially in the emergency operations with multiple groups at the same place, the importance of interoperability has been much appreciated. This study used semi-structured interviews to examine the police communication issues and reconceptualize interoperability in the police communication domain. Based on the interview, we identified three important concepts to specify interoperable groups. First, highly distributed decision making processes are problematic for multiple communication needs. Second, a police team is self-organized at the scene. Finally, their operational boundaries are tentative based on contextual information. Based on these main concepts, we provided high-level suggestions to design a police communication system based on cognitive radio technology.
The Relative Vitamin A Value of 9-cis β-Carotene Is Less and That of 13-cis β-Carotene May Be Greater than the Accepted 50% That of All-trans β-Carotene in Gerbils

The effectiveness of beta-carotene (betaC) as a vitamin A (VA) precursor may be influenced by the proportions of cis isomers of betaC consumed in the diet. Although the metabolic fates of cis isomers of betaC are poorly understood, their retinol equivalency has been assigned a value 50% that of all-trans (at) betaC. A dose-response design was used to estimate the relative VA value (VAV) of atbetaC, 9-cis (9c) betaC and 13-cis (13c) betaC in gerbils using total liver retinol as a measure of VAV. Ten groups of gerbils received a daily dose of oil with or without betaC isomer by gavage for 7 d. Nine groups (n = 5) were divided equally among the three betaC dosing treatments with each isomer provided at 141, 275 and 418 nmol/d. Total liver VA (171-259 nmol) in gerbils administered atbetaC was higher than total liver betaC (25-53 nmol). Stores of VA and betaC in livers from gerbils administered atbetaC were higher than stores of VA and betaC in livers from those given 9cbetaC or 13cbetaC. The relative VAV of cis betaC isomers was estimated by comparing slopes of dose-response lines of all three betaC isomers using atbetaC as a reference. Total liver VA and betaC increased linearly (P < 0.05) with increasing betaC intake in gerbils gavaged with all three betaC isomer oils. The relative VAV of 9cbetaC was less (38%) and 13cbetaC was more (62%) than the assigned value of 50% that of atbetaC. Thus, the proportions of cis isomers of betaC contained in a food could negatively affect the vitamin A value of the diet.
Computer modeling of lithium phosphate and thiophosphate electrolyte materials

Abstract In this work, several lithium phosphate and thiophosphate materials are modeled to determine their optimized lattice structures, their total energies, and their electronic structures. Included in this study are materials characterized by isolated phosphate and thiophosphate groups – Li 3 PS 4 and Li 3 PO 4 and materials characterized by phosphate and thiophosphate dimers – Li 4 P 2 S 6 and Li 4 P 2 O 6 and Li 4 P 2 S 7 and Li 4 P 2 O 7 . In addition, the superionic conducting material Li 7 P 3 S 11 is also modeled as are recently discovered crystalline argyrodite materials Li 7 PS 6 and Li 6 PS 5 Cl. A comparison of Li ion vacancy migration in Li 4 P 2 S 7 and Li 4 P 2 O 7 shows the migration energy barriers in the thiophosphate to be smaller (less than one-half) than in the phosphate.
Enhancement of morphine analgesia by theα2-adrenergic antagonist yohimbine

Abstract Although interactions between opioids and adrenergic agonists in the treatment of pain have been demonstrated in humans, the contribution of specific adrenergic receptors in this interaction remains to be clarified. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study in male patients with postoperative dental pain, we investigated the effect of preoperative administration of the α 2 -adrenergic antagonist, yohimbine, on analgesia produced by postoperative intravenous morphine. Although yohimbine by itself did not affect the pain, the overall analgesic effect of morphine was significantly enhanced in the presence of yohimbine. This report is the first to demonstrate that an α 2 -adrenergic antagonist enhances opiate analgesia in humans.
A new method for the preparation of fast-conducting, reactive glass systems

Abstract A relatively simple apparatus has been designed for synthesizing glasses in a controlled environment at temperatures up to 1050°C. The glasses are cast in disc form - a geometry suited for experimental measurement without further sample alteration. This arrangement has enabled us to extend the region of glass formation in the binary system Na 2 S:GeS 2 and to prepare a glass with as high as 70 mole % of Na 2 S. This glass shows a conductivity of 1.0×10 −3 Ω −1 cm −1 (100°C)-higher than the best sodium conducting glasses currently known. Using the new method, a completely new Na 2 S:B 2 S 3 glass system has been prepared. The electrical conductivity of these samples has been measured as a function of frequency in the range 1 Hz to 7×10 5 Hz and in the temperature range of −5°C to +150°C. Replacement of the oxygen atom by a sulphur atom (comparison with oxide glasses at the same composition) is found to improve the ionic conductivity.
Potato protoplasts in crop improvement.

Clonal populations regenerated from single-leaf cell protoplasts of the potato cultivar `Russet Burbank9 display a high frequency of variation for several horticultural and disease resistance characters. Observations over a period of three tuber generations suggest stable changes in tuber shape, yield, and maturity date, in photo-period requirements for flowering, and in plant morphology. Enhanced resistance to early blight (Alternaria solani) and late blight (Phytophthora infestans) diseases also regularly occurs within regenerated populations. These findings are discussed in the context of possible application to varietal improvement, particularly as they pertain to asexually propagated plants.
Podial sensory receptors and the induction of metamorphosis in echinoids

Abstract Larvae of Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis (Muller), Lytechinus pictus (Verrill), and Lytechinus variegatus (Leske) which are competent to metamorphose display what appears to be substratum-testing behavior prior to metamorphosis. Larvae cease swimming, partially evert the adult rudiment, and walk about examining the substratum with their five primary podia. Larvae eithe r metamorphose or withdraw their podia and resume swimming to settle again elsewhere. Scanning and transmission electron microscopic examinations of the primary podia revealed sensory receptor cells on the rim and on a conical projection at the center of the podial sucker. Each sensory cell has a single short cilium on its apical surface a axonal process at its base which contributes to the basiepithelial nerve plexus. Mature adults of the same species also have comparable sensory structures on their tube feet suckers. It is suggested that the sensory receptors on the primary podia of setting larvae, although they are not specialized larval structures, may be involved in the perception of tactil e stimuli which have been previously demonstrated to be involved in the induction of metamorphosis.
Predictors of Longterm Changes in Body Mass Index in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objective. Low body mass index (BMI) is a risk factor for poor longterm outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with longterm changes in BMI. Methods. Subjects with RA from the Veterans Affairs (VA) Rheumatoid Arthritis (VARA) Registry (n = 1474) were studied. Information on inflammatory markers, presence of erosions, and smoking status were extracted from the VARA database. BMI was extracted from VA electronic medical records within 14 days of each visit date. VA pharmacy records were queried to identify prescriptions for specific RA therapies within 1 month of the visit date. We used robust generalized estimating equations marginal regression models to calculate independent associations between clinical variables and BMI over time. Similar models determined predictors of change in weight and risk of weight loss over the subsequent study observation period. Results. Increasing age, active smoking, and the presence of erosions at baseline were associated with lower BMI. Weight decreased over time among older adults. Factors associated with greater reductions in BMI over time and a greater risk of weight loss were higher inflammatory markers, smoking, older age, higher BMI, and less subsequent improvement in inflammation. Methotrexate use was associated with a lower risk of weight loss. The use of prednisone or anti-tumor necrosis factor therapies was not associated with change in BMI or the risk of weight loss independent of other factors. Conclusion. Greater age, greater inflammatory activity, and active smoking are associated with greater weight loss in RA over time.
Assimilation of Elements and Digestion in Grass Shrimp Pre-Exposed to Dietary Mercury

Grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio were fed mercury (Hg)-contaminated oligochaetes for 15 days and analyzed for Hg, cadmium (Cd), and carbon assimilation efficiencies (AE) as well as toxicological end points related to digestion. Disproportionate increases in stable Hg concentrations in shrimp did not appear to be related to partitioning to trophically available Hg in worms. Hg AE by pre-exposed shrimp reached a plateau (approximately 53 %), whereas Cd AE varied (approximately 40–60 %) in a manner that was not dose-dependent. Carbon AE did not differ among treatments (approximately 69 %). Gut residence time was not impacted significantly by Hg pre-exposure (grand median approximately 465 min), however, there was a trend between curves showing percentages of individuals with markers in feces over time versus treatment. Feces-elimination rate did not vary with dietary pre-exposure. Extracellular protease activity varied approximately1.9-fold but did not exhibit dose-dependency. pH increased over the range of Hg pre-exposures within the anterior (pH approximately 5.33–6.51) and posterior (pH approximately 5.29–6.25) regions of the cardiac proventriculus and Hg assimilation exhibited a negative relationship to hydrogen ion concentrations. The results of this study indicate that previous Hg ingestion can elicit post-assimilatory impacts on grass shrimp digestive physiology, which may, in turn, influence Hg assimilation during subsequent digestive cycles.
21 A STUDY OF THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DEFICITS AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

In young children, there has been documentation of an association between neurodevelopmental dysfunctions and problems with learning, behavior, and social adjustment. Less is known about this association in adolescents. An adolescent neurodevelopmental examination was compiled and administered to 54 delinquents and 51 secondary school students. Six areas were assessed. There was no significant differences in the prevalence of minor neurological signs (p=.37) or in gross motor function (p=.02). The delinquents showed more deficits of fine motor function (p=.02) and sequential memory (p=.04). The greatest differences were in visual processing (p=.002) and auditory-language function (p=.001). Eighteen percent of delinquents and 4% of the comparison group were deficient in 2 or more neurodevelopmental areas. Nine percent of the delinquents and none of the comparison group had 3 or more dysfunctions. There is a high prevalence of chronic developmental dysfunction among delinquent adolescents. These may have been undiagnosed, poorly managed, or resistant to treatment. A neurodevelopmental examination is a useful diagnostic tool for identifying endogenous factors in behavior, learning, and adjustment problems of this age group. Such findings have implications for policy and formulation of individualized management strategies.
Zeolites P1 and L as precursors for the preparation of alkaline-earth zeolites

Zeolites P1 (GIS) and L (LTL) are used as precursor materials for the preparation of synthetic analogues of the natural alkaline-earth zeolites brewsterite, heulandite, epistilbite, harmotome and yugawaralite. Crystallization of these zeolites is accomplished by hydrothermal treatment of the precursor zeolites with aqueous solutions containing an appropriate alkaline-earth cation. The effects of the composition of the starting zeolite, the composition of the solution phase and the presence or absence of seeds are discussed.