cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Short and long term gene expression variation and networking in human proximal tubule cells when exposed to cadmium

Cadmium (Cd2+) is a known nephrotoxin causing tubular necrosis during acute exposure and potentially contributing to renal failure in chronic long-term exposure. To investigate changes in global gene expression elicited by cadmium, an in-vitro exposure system was developed from cultures of human renal epithelial cells derived from cortical tissue obtained from nephrectomies. These cultures exhibit many of the qualities of proximal tubule cells. Using these cells, a study was performed to determine the cadmium-induced global gene expression changes after short-term (1 day, 9, 27, and 45 μM) and long-term cadmium exposure (13 days, 4.5, 9, and 27 μM). These studies revealed fundamental differences in the types of genes expressed during each of these time points. The obtained data was further analyzed using regression to identify cadmium toxicity responsive genes. Regression analysis showed 403 genes were induced and 522 genes were repressed by Cd2+ within 1 day, and 366 and 517 genes were induced and repressed, respectively, after 13 days. We developed a gene set enrichment analysis method to identify the cadmium induced pathways that are unique in comparison to traditional approaches. The perturbation of global gene expression by various Cd2+ concentrations and multiple time points enabled us to study the transcriptional dynamics and gene interaction using a mutual information-based network model. The most prominent network module consisted of INHBA, KIF20A, DNAJA4, AKAP12, ZFAND2A, AKR1B10, SCL7A11, and AKR1C1.
Effect of Androgens upon Libido in Women

DURING the course of the therapeutic administration of androgens for various endocrinopathic gynecologic disorders during the past five years, the observation was made that libido was apparently increased in a number of the women being treated (1). Our attention was first drawn to this phenomenon in 1937 by an ovariectomized woman, suffering from the menopause syndrome, who was being treated experimentally with testosterone propionate. During the course of treatment the patient volunteered the information that she had experienced resurgence of sexual desire after a period of quiescence of some ten years. Since then we have been conducting a series of studies to determine the effect of various sterol sex hormones upon the psychosexual reactions of women. METHODS AND MATERIALS The present report is based on our observations of a series of 101 women comprising the following groups. Group A. Twenty-nine cases of primary frigidity which were being treated for some apparently unrelated gynecologic disorder: dys...
Noninvasive in vivo human coronary artery lumen and wall imaging using black-blood magnetic resonance imaging

Background—High-resolution MRI has the potential to noninvasively image the human coronary artery wall and define the degree and nature of coronary artery disease. Coronary artery imaging by MR has been limited by artifacts related to blood flow and motion and by low spatial resolution. Methods and Results—We used a noninvasive black-blood (BB) MRI (BB-MR) method, free of motion and blood-flow artifacts, for high-resolution (down to 0.46 mm in-plane resolution and 3-mm slice thickness) imaging of the coronary artery lumen and wall. In vivo BB-MR of both normal and atherosclerotic human coronary arteries was performed in 13 subjects: 8 normal subjects and 5 patients with coronary artery disease. The average coronary wall thickness for each cross-sectional image was 0.7560.17 mm (range, 0.55 to 1.0 mm) in the normal subjects. MR images of coronary arteries in patients with $40% stenosis as assessed by x-ray angiography showed localized wall thickness of 4.3860.71 mm (range, 3.30 to 5.73 mm). The difference in maximum wall thickness between the normal subjects and patients was statistically significant ( P,0.0001). Conclusions—In vivo high-spatial-resolution BB-MR provides a unique new method to noninvasively image and assess the morphological features of human coronary arteries. This may allow the identification of atherosclerotic disease before it is symptomatic. Further studies are necessary to identify the different plaque components and to assess lesions in asymptomatic patients and their outcomes. (Circulation. 2000;102:506-510.)
5-HT2A receptor-like protein is present in small neurons located in rat mesopontine cholinergic nuclei, but absent from cholinergic neurons

Abstract The cholinergic neurons of the pedunculopontine and laterodorsal tegmental nuclei (PPN and LDN) increase their activity during wakefulness and REM sleep and interact with brainstem neurons containing serotonin (5-HT) and other amines. To determine whether mesopontine neurons that contain nitric oxide synthase (NOS), a marker for cholinergic cells, express 5-HT 2A receptors, dual immunostaining for 5-HT 2A receptor-like protein and NOS was employed with either peroxidase or fluorescent secondary probes. Within the PPN and LDN, different cells expressed 5-HT 2A receptors and NOS. In addition to the lack of co-localization, the 5-HT 2A receptor-expressing cells were smaller and less numerous than the adjacent NOS neurons. We propose that 5-HT 2A receptor-expressing cells are local inhibitory interneurons whose one function is to ensure the reciprocal patterns of activity in subpopulations of mesopontine cholinergic and aminergic neurons.
On maximum likelihood estimation in parametric regression with missing covariates

We consider parametric regression problems with some covariates missing at random. It is shown that the regression parameter remains identifiable under natural conditions. When the always observed covariates are discrete, we propose a semiparametric maximum likelihood method, which does not require parametric specification of the missing data mechanism or the covariate distribution. The global maximum likelihood estimator (MLE), which maximizes the likelihood over the whole parameter set, is shown to exist under simple conditions. For ease of computation, we also consider a restricted MLE which maximizes the likelihood over covariate distributions supported by the observed values. Under regularity conditions, the two MLEs are asymptotically equivalent and strongly consistent for a class of topologies on the parameter set.
Adsorption of3He and4He on copper and on argon-coated copper below 20 K

Measurements have been made of adsorption isotherms of3He and of4He on copper and on a monolayer of argon deposited on copper in the temperature range 6.18–18.55 K and in the pressure range 0.25 to 75 Torr. From these many isotherms, calculations have been made of the isosteric heat of adsorptionQst/R. In the limit of zero coverage on the argon monolayerQst/R=76±2 K for3He and 76±2 K for4He. For adsorption on the bare copper,Qst/R is difficult to extrapolate to zero coverage, but it probably lies (for both3He and4He) between 135 and 165 K. At theoretical monolayer helium coverage,Qst/R=44±2 K for3He on the argon monolayer and 47±2 K for4He. At theoretical monolayer helium coverage on the bare copper,Qst/R=61±4 K for3He and 77±5 K for4He. The results are compared with theoretical evaluations for helium adsorbed on an argon monolayer and with some previous experimental data, and the agreement is found to be fair. All the data are summarized in tables. Finally, a review is given of evaluations, including those from this work, of the monolayer capacity of3He and4He on the substrates studied.
Development and application of quantitative methods for monitoring dermal and inhalation exposure to propiconazole

Quantitative methods to measure dermal and inhalation exposure to the fungicide propiconazole were developed in the laboratory and applied in the occupational exposure setting for monitoring five farm workers’ exposure during pesticide preparation and application to peach crops. Dermal exposure was measured with tape-strips applied to the skin, and the amount of propiconazole was normalized to keratin content in the tape-strip. Inhalation exposure was measured with an OVS tube placed in the worker’s breathing-zone during pesticide handling. Samples were analyzed by GC-MS in EI+ mode (limit of detection 6 pg µl−1). Dermal exposure ranged from non-detectable to 32.1 ± 22.6 ng per µg keratin while breathing-zone concentrations varied from 0.2 to 2.2 µg m−3. A positive correlation was observed between breathing-zone concentrations and ambient air temperature (r2 = 0.87, p < 0.01). Breathing-zone concentrations did not correlate with dermal exposure levels (r2 = 0.11, p = 0.52). Propiconazole levels were below limit of detection when rubber gloves, coveralls, and full-face mask were used. The total-body propiconazole dose, determined for each worker by summing the estimated dermal dose and inhalation dose, ranged from 0.01 to 12 µg per kg body weight per day. Our results show that tape-stripping of the skin and the OVS can be effectively utilized to measure dermal and inhalation exposure to propiconazole, respectively, and that the dermal route of exposure contributed substantially more to the total dose than the inhalation route.
Religion and Conflict in Marital and Parent-Child Relationships

This article discusses how religion can substantively influence the manifestation and resolution of conflict in marital and parent-child relationships. Religious systems of meaning are proposed to influence conflict by promoting which goals and values should be sought in family life and the appropriate means to achieve these ends. Conflict can be amplified or inhibited based on the extent to which family members differ and agree about such religiously based parameters. Religion also offers families strategies that may facilitate or hinder the resolution of conflict after it erupts. The limited amount of empirical research on how religion shapes the manifestation and resolution of marital and parent-child conflict is highlighted, and suggestions are made to advance research and clinical practice on this topic.
Location of Alternative-Fuel Stations Using the Flow-Refueling Location Model and Dispersion of Candidate Sites on Arcs

The Flow Refueling Location Model (FRLM) is a flow-intercepting model that locates p stations on a network to maximize the refueling of origin–destination flows. Because of the limited driving range of vehicles, network vertices do not constitute a finite dominating set. This paper extends the FRLM by adding candidate sites along arcs using three methods. The first identifies arc segments where a single facility could refuel a path that would otherwise require two facilities at vertices to refuel it. The other methods use the Added-Node Dispersion Problem (ANDP) to disperse candidate sites along arcs by minimax and maximin methods. While none of the methods generate a finite dominating set, results show that adding ANDP sites produces better solutions than mid-path segments or vertices only.
Pathways of proton transfer in the light-driven pump bacteriorhodopsin

The mechanism of proton transport in the light-driven pump bacteriorhodopsin is beginning to be understood. Light causes the all-trans to 13-cis isomerization of the retinal chromophore. This sets off a sequential and directed series of transient decreases in the pKa's of a) the retinal Schiff base, b) an extracellular proton release complex which includes asp-85, and c) a cytoplasmic proton uptake complex which includes asp-96. The timing of these pKa changes during the photoreaction cycle causes sequential proton transfers which result in the net movement of a proton across the protein, from the cytoplasmic to the extracellular surface.
Anti-microbial active composite nanoparticles with magnetic core and photocatalytic shell: TiO2–NiFe2O4 biomaterial system

Abstract Reverse micelle and chemical hydrolysis techniques have been successfully combined to synthesize composite nanoparticles consisting of a photocatalytic shell of titania and a magnetic core of nickel ferrite. The nature of titania shell, i.e. anatase or brookite, depends on the TiO 2 and NiFe 2 O 4 molar ratio. The work presented here describes the photocatalytic and anti-microbial activity of the composite nanoparticles together with the magnetic characteristics of the nickel ferrite core. The TiO 2 -coated NiFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles retain the magnetic characteristics of uncoated nanocrystalline nickel ferrites (superparamagnetism; absence of hysteresis, remanence and coercivity at 300 K) encouraging their application as removable anti-microbial photocatalyst nanoparticles that can be extracted from the sprayed surface (human body or environment) after exposure.
Both Sides of the Collecting Encounter: The George W. Harley Collection at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University

The Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology holds a large collection of wooden facemasks from the Dan and Mano peoples of Northeast Liberia. Made for ritual use, most of these masks were sold in the 1930s to George W. Harley, a medical missionary who worked in the region. This article explores Harley's training, methods, and motives, and the socio-political conditions under which he collected. Beginning with the notes that Harley provided on the reasons that owners gave for selling their masks, I examine the collection itself for clues to the choices made on the other side of the collecting encounter.
PM10 conformity determinations: the equivalent emissions method

Abstract The US Clean Air Act Amendments require PM10 transportation conformity and attainment demonstrations. This study examines the policy implications and validity of a proposed PM10 transportation conformity method called equivalent emissions (EE) that uses a linear, non-chemical model to incorporate emissions trading into PM10 transportation conformity determinations. We evaluate the new method by comparing predictions from EE to predictions from a mechanistic air quality model that uses non-linear chemical mechanisms to calculate the formation of secondary PM10. Results indicate that the EE method over estimates reductions of secondary PM10 formation allowing the primary fraction to rise while secondary PM10 is not actually declining in the atmosphere. Thus, conformity could be established between air quality and transportation plans using EE, resulting in projects being funded that might prolong public exposure to unhealthy levels of PM10 depending on the specifics of the non-attainment area.
Adrenergic Receptor Function in Panic Disorder: I. Platelet α2 Receptors Gi Protein Coupling, Effects of Imipramine, and Relationship to Treatment Outcome

Various studies suggest alpha 2-adrenergic receptor (alpha 2AR) dysregulation in panic disorder (PD). Platelet alpha 2-AR exist in high- and low-conformational states as a function of their coupling to Gi protein. alpha 2AR coupling is important in signal transduction and is modulated by antidepressants. alpha 2AR density in the high- and low-conformational states, agonist affinity, and coupling efficiency were investigated in 21 healthy controls, 21 drug-free PD patients, and eight imipramine-treated patients using norepinephrine displacement of 3H-yohimbine binding. Percentage of receptors in the high-conformational state (%RH) and the ratio of the agonist dissociation constant to the receptor in the low-/high-conformational state (KL/KH), calculated from displacement experiments, were used as coupling indices. Patients had high alpha 2AR density in both conformational states. %RH and KL/KH ratio were significantly different, particularly in patients with Hamilton scale for depression (HAMD) scores > or = 15. Imipramine treatment (29 weeks) had no effect on alpha 2AR density or coupling, despite improvement in anxiety ratings. High pretreatment alpha 2AR density and coupling predicted low severity of anxiety after treatment. Increased alpha 2AR density and abnormal coupling may represent an adaptive mechanism or trait marker in PD.
Asbestos-related diseases in construction carpenters.

To assess the association of minimal parenchymal fibrosis and pleural plaques with respiratory functional impairment, we conducted a survey of 631 asbestos-exposed construction carpenters. This population had a relatively low prevalence of radiographic abnormalities and lung function impairment. Pleural plaques was the asbestos-related disease most prevalent, followed by interstitial fibrosis with predominantly low profusion scores. The most frequent functional impairment was the obstructive pattern, followed by restrictive and mixed patterns. After adjusting for potential confounders, the presence of pleural plaques was significantly associated with a mixed respiratory pattern of impairment (OR = 3.7, 95% CI 1.4-12.3). Furthermore, our data were consistent with a weak association between pleural plaques and a predominately restrictive defect (OR—1.3, 95% CI 0.4-3.9). This study also suggested an association between minimally detectable profusions and both obstructive (OR = 1.9, 95% CI 0.6-6.3) and mixed (OR = 1.6, 95% CI 0.3-7.1) defects. Although only 631 of a potential 7,649 active and retired union members participated in this first-time survey and were relatively young, these findings add new evidence to the functional importance of pleural fibrosis and minimal parenchymal fibrosis. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Physical Factors Contributing to Hydrophobic Constant π

The hydrophobicity constants (μ) of different aromatic substituents have been factored into three major components, a volume factor (MW, or Vw), an electronic factor as represented by dipole moment (μ), and H-bonding factor. The following general equation has been shown to be applicable to a wide range of nonpolar to polar substituents, with only a few notable outliers: π = a · MW (or Vw) - b · HB - c · μ + d. The usefulness and the limitations of such a general correlation are discussed.
Conservation and evolution of the rpsU-dnaG-rpoD macromolecular synthesis operon in bacteria

The macromolecular synthesis (MMS) operon contains three essential genes (rpsU, dnaG, rpoD) whose products (S21, primase, sigma-70) are necessary for the initiation of protein, DNA, and RNA synthesis respectively. PCR amplifications with primers complementary to conserved regions within these three genes, and subsequent DNA sequencing of rpsU-dnaG PCR products, demonstrate that the three genes appear to be contiguous in 11 different Gram-negative species. Within the Gram-negative enteric bacterial lineage, the S21 amino acid sequence is absolutely conserved in 10 species examined. The putative nuteq antiterminator sequence in rpsU consists of two motifs, boxA and boxB, conserved in primary sequence and secondary structure. The terminator sequence, T1, located between rpsU and dnaG is conserved at 31 positions in nine enterobacterial species, suggesting the importance of primary sequence in addition to secondary structure for transcription termination. The intergenic region between rpsU and dnaG varies in size owing to the presence or absence of the Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus (ERIC) DNA element. The rpoD gene contains rearrangements involving a divergent sequence, although two carboxy-terminal regions which encode functional domains are conserved in primary sequence and spacing. Our data suggest that primary sequence divergence and DNA rearrangements in both coding and non-coding sequences account for the interspecies variation in operon structure. However, MMS operon gene organization and cis-acting regulatory sequences appear to be conserved in diverse bacteria.
The somatic chromosomes of 3 lizard species: Gekko gecko, Iguana iguana, and Crotaphytus collaris.

Die somatischen Chromosomen der 3 EidechsenartenGekko gecko (2N=38),Iguana iguana (2N=34) undCrotophytus collaris (2N=36), werden dargestellt.G. gecko besitzt metazentrische, subteleozentrische und teleozentrische Elemente, aber keine Mikrochromosomen.I. iguana undC. collaris besitzen Makrochromosomen (6 Paare) und Mikrochromosomen. Bei den ArtenG. gecko undI. iguana waren in keinen von beiden Geschlechtern heteromorphische Chromosomenpaare nach zuweisen.
Evidence for the Release of Ovulating Hormone in PMS-Treated Immature Rats∗:

SummaryThe ovulation inducing potential of anterior pituitary glands of immature rats induced to precocious puberty with PMS was assayed by a method employing ovulation in other (recipient) immatur...
Feasibility of implementing stereotactic body radiation therapy using a non-commercial volumetric modulated arc therapy treatment planning system for early stage lung cancer

Nearly 25% of patients diagnosed with early-stage non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC) are medically inoperable. For these patients, the radial stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), planned and delivered with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) techniques, offers the only curative option. However, IMRT-SBRT has three significant deficiencies: an elevated beam-on time (MU); a reduced MU-to-cGy coefficient; and a prolonged delivery time. To address these issues, we have developed our in-house version of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). In this preliminary study, we compared VMAT-SBRT with IMRT-SBRT in terms of optimization, dosimetry, and delivery. Our goal was to investigate the feasibility of replacing the exiting IMRT-SBRT with VMAT-SBRT as a safe and viable alternative radiation modality for early-stage NSCLC.
Humeral skeletal development and plasma constituent changes in fetuses of ewes maintained on a low calcium diet from 60 days of gestation

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a long-term, low-calcium diet on fetal calcium metabolism and fetal skeleton skeleton development in ewes. Eleven pregnant sheep were assigned to two groups, fed either a diet low in calcium (0.26% total dry matter) or normal in calcium (0.8% total dry matter) for 2 months, starting at 60 days gestational age. The ewes fed the low calcium diet showed lower plasma levels of calcium and higher plasma levels of hydroxyproline, parathyroid hormone, and 1,25 (OH)2D compared with the ewes fed the normal calcium diet. There were no differences in these variables between the two groups of fetuses. These observations suggest that the plasma components of calcium homeostasis measured in the fetal lamb in the present study are independent of the ewe and are not significantly affected by the presence of lowere maternal calcium for many weeks during pregnancy. Despite the ability of the fetus of the ewe on the low calcium diet to maintain relatively normal circulating plasma components of calcium homeostasis, long-term maternal hypocalcemia delayed fetal skeletal ossification as shown by histological examination of the fetal humerus. The fetal humerus from low calcium-fed ewes showed a lower proportion of bone versus cartilage (45.6±5.9 versus 57.4±4.6%, mean ±SD) lower ash content (15.4±1.5 versus 17.4±1.0%), and lower specific gravity (1.19±0.2 versus 1.22±0.02) (P<0.05) than the humerus from fetuses of normal calcium-fed ewes. This study shows that the long-term calcium intake of the ewe does affect fetal skeletal development, despite a lack of observable effects on fetal plasma concentrations of calcium or known calcium regulating hormones such as 1,25(OH)2D or parathyroid hormone.
Immunologic Analysis by Gel Diffusion Technics of the Effects of Prolonged Cultivation on Trichomonas gallinae

SYNOPSIS. Antisera were developed in rabbits against 3 axenic lines of Trichomonas gallinae: JB(VI), the 6th isolate of the very virulent Jones' Barn strain, which was kept frozen in liquid nitrogen and had its full pathogenicity for pigeons when it was employed for immunization; JB(VI)C, a substrain derived from JB(VI), but attenuated during continuous in vitro cultivation for 1 year; and JB(V)C, a substrain of the 5th isolate of the Jones' Barn strain attenuated during continuous in vitro cultivation for over 3 years. All antisera were reacted on gel diffusion slides with varying concentrations of homologous and heterologous antigens. Two groups of precipitin bands, arbitrarily labeled A and B, were seen on the slides. Analysis of these bands revealed the common genetic makeup of the 3 trichomonad lines with respect to the group A bands. However, the group B antigenic system was strong in the attenuated JB(VI)C and JB(V)C substrains, and very weak in the fully pathogenic JB(VI) strain. These differences are discussed in the light of their possible relationship to pathogenicity.
Network protocol development with nsclick

Ad hoc network protocols are often developed, tested and evaluated using simulators. However, when the time comes to deploy those protocols for use or testing on real systems the protocol must be reimplemented for the target platform. This usually results in two, completely separate code-bases that must be maintained. Bugs which are found and fixed under simulated conditions must also be fixed separately in the deployed implementation, and vice versa. There is ample opportunity for the two implementations to drift apart, possibly to the point where the deployed and simulated version have little actual resemblance to each other. Testing the deployed version may also require construction of a testbed, a potentially time-consuming and expensive endeavor. Even if constructing an actual testbed is feasible, simulators are very useful for running large, repeatable scenarios for tasks such as protocol evaluation and regression testing. Furthermore, since the implementation may require modification of the kernel network stack, there's a good chance that a particular implementation may only run on specific versions of specific operating systems. To address these issues, we constructed the nsclick simulation environment by embedding the Click Modular Router inside of the popular ns-2 network simulator. Routing protocols may be implemented as Click graphs and easily moved between simulation and any operating system supported by Click. This paper describes the design, use, validation and performance of nsclick.
Impact of Fall Army worm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Feeding on the Quality and Yield of Coastal Bermuda grass

The impact of fall army worm (FAR), Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) feeding on the quality and yield of bermuda grass, Condone dactylic (L.) Pres., cv. Coastal, was determined. Yield losses of Coastal were 0.5 to 1.1 metric ton/ha when artificially infested with population densities of 1.1 to 9.9 larvae per 0.1 m2. Feeding by FAR also resulted in lower yields of digestible dry matter (245 kg/ha) and crude protein (72 kg/ha) in Coastal. An economic injury level of 8 FAR larvae per 0.1 m2 for Coastal was calculated based on a hay price of $54 per metric ton and cost of control of $6.74 per ha. From these data, an economic threshold of four fourth and fifth in stars per 0.1 m2 was determined for Coastal.
Transition density of one-dimensional diffusion with discontinuous drift

The transition density of a one-dimensional diffusion process with a discontinuous drift coefficient is studied. A probabilistic representation of the transition density is given, illustrating the close connections between discontinuities of the drift and Brownian local times. In addition, some explicit results are obtained based upon the trivariate density of Brownian motion, its occupation, and local times. >
Multidisciplinary Design Optimization for Complex Engineered Systems: Report From a National Science Foundation Workshop

Complex engineered systems are typically designed using a systems engineering framework that is showing its limitations. Multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO), which has evolved remarkably since its inception 25 years ago, offers alternatives to complement and enhance the systems engineering approach to help address the challenges inherent in the design of complex engineered systems. To gain insight into these challenges, a one-day workshop was organized that gathered 48 people from industry, academia, and government agencies. The goal was to examine MDO’s current and future role in designing complex engineered systems. This paper summarizes the views of five distinguished speakers on the “state of the research” and discussions from an industry panel comprised of representatives from Boeing, Caterpillar, Ford, NASA Glenn Research Center, and United Technologies Research Center on the “state of the practice.” Future research topics to advance MDO are also identified in five key areas: (1) modeling and the design space, (2) metrics, objectives, and requirements, (3) coupling in complex engineered systems, (4) dealing with uncertainty, and (5) people and workflow. Finally, five overarching themes are offered to advance MDO practice. First, MDO researchers need to engage disciplines outside of engineering and target opportunities outside of their traditional application areas. Second, MDO problem formulations must evolve to encompass a wider range of design criteria. Third, effective strategies are needed to put designers “back in the loop” during MDO. Fourth, the MDO community needs to do a better job of publicizing its successes to improve the “buy in” that is needed to advance MDO in academia, industry, and government agencies. Fifth, students and practitioners need to be better educated on systems design, optimization, and MDO methods and tools along with their benefits and drawbacks.
A comprehensive model for optimizing empathy in person-centered care.

Abstract Objective This study examined perspectives regarding the use of empathy within medicine and developed a model to demonstrate the components of empathy in a medical setting. Methods Grounded theory guided the methodology and final theory formation. Participants included 21 medical professionals representing multiple specialty areas and employed in a teaching hospital, private practice, or clinical setting in Eastern Virginia. Processes for transcription analysis and coding preserved participant perspectives and contributed to a final model. Results Participant interviews revealed a seven-tier model that displays the facilitative conditions and potential barriers that may impact the full expression of empathy within the medical setting. Interviews also delineated between levels of empathy and described the benefits of providing empathic care, all of which are included in the final model. Conclusion This new model of empathy describes a complex and dynamic process and conceptualizes ideal conditions for empathic treatment. The model presents concepts that may be useful in medical education, and creates new directions for empathy research. Practice implications Physicians can assess themselves along each level of the model and can use it to identify barriers as well as ensure optimal conditions for empathic treatment. This new conceptualization of empathy also has implications for medical training and directions for future research.
Measuring the Degree of Internationalization of a firm: A Comment

Sullivan's [1994] suggestion that an index measure of the internationalization construct is superior to single-variable measures is critiqued on psychometric, content validity, criterion validity, reliability, and utilitarian grounds. We argue that internationalization is more complex than envisioned by this index and suggest that further refinement of the construct is necessary before constructing indices.
Salmonella Contamination of Turkey from Processing to Final Product—A Process to Product Perspective

Food safety and the development of an understanding of issues surrounding pathogens associated with food is of considerable importance in modern-day food production. The design and use of risk models to estimate the likelihood of human illness has become an important part of our understanding of food safety issues. In order to quantify food safety risks, the first requirement is to estimate the occurrence of the pathogen associated with a particular production system. As such, an assessment of whether interventions significantly reduce these risks can be made. In light of recent events in food production including pathogens in ready to eat foods and outbreaks of Escherichia coli O157:H7 associated with produce, the development and implementation of risk models will continue to gain importance in the coming years. This paper focuses on some of the current research ongoing at North Dakota State University to develop a greater understanding of Salmonella as it pertains to turkey production and processing in ...
Eutectic phase behavior of 1-stearoyl-2-caprylphosphatidylcholine and dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine mixtures.

The thermotropic behavior of aqueous dispersions of C(18):C(10)PC/diC(14)PC mixtures with different molar ratios has been investigated by high-resolution differential scanning calorimetry. C(18):C(10)PC is a highly asymmetric lipid molecule, whereas diC(14)PC is a symmetric species with the same molecular weight. Their packing properties in the bilayer are known to be similar at T >Tm, but very dissimilar at T < Tm. Calorimetric results indicate that C(18):C(10)PC and diC(14)PC are completely miscible in the liquid-crystalline state. In the gel state, however, C(18):C(10)PC and diC(14)PC are only partially miscible. The temperature-composition phase diagram for C(18):C(10)PC/diC(14)PC mixtures has the shape characteristic of a typical eutectic system.
Prenatal Mild Ventriculomegaly Predicts Abnormal Development of the Neonatal Brain

Background Many psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders are associated with mild enlargement of the lateral ventricles thought to have origins in prenatal brain development. Little is known about development of the lateral ventricles and the relationship of prenatal lateral ventricle enlargement with postnatal brain development. Methods We performed neonatal magnetic resonance imaging on 34 children with isolated mild ventriculomegaly (MVM; width of the atrium of the lateral ventricle ≥ 1.0 cm) on prenatal ultrasound and 34 age- and sex-matched control subjects with normal prenatal ventricle size. Lateral ventricle and cortical gray and white matter volumes were assessed. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) in corpus callosum and corticospinal white matter tracts were determined obtained using quantitative tractography. Results Neonates with prenatal MVM had significantly larger lateral ventricle volumes than matched control subjects (286.4%; p p = .0063) and cortical gray matter volumes (10.9%, p = .0004) compared with control subjects. Diffusion tensor imaging tractography revealed a significantly greater MD in the corpus callosum and corticospinal tracts, whereas FA was significantly smaller in several white matter tract regions. Conclusions Prenatal enlargement of the lateral ventricle is associated with enlargement of the lateral ventricles after birth, as well as greater gray matter volumes and delayed or abnormal maturation of white matter. It is suggested that prenatal ventricle volume is an early structural marker of altered development of the cerebral cortex and may be a marker of risk for neuropsychiatric disorders associated with ventricle enlargement.
Explaining the effects of relative time in trace conditioning: A preliminary test of a comparator hypothesis

Scalar expectancy theory (SET) predicts that postacquisition manipulations of background expectancy should alter conditioned performance. An experiment was performed to test the application of this hypothesis to an explanation of the “temporal context” effect in trace conditioning. Pigeons were trained on an inhibitory trace conditioning procedure and then subjected to postacquisition manipulations of background expectancy. Nonreinforced exposure to the training apparatus eliminated conditioned withdrawal, exposure to USs under very long interreinforcer intervals slightly weakened conditioned withdrawal, and home-cage confinement had no effect on conditioned withdrawal. These results are discussed in terms of the predictions of SET and the role of background excitation in conditioned inhibition.
Real-Time Evaluation of a Noninvasive Neuroprosthetic Interface for Control of Reach

Injuries of the cervical spinal cord can interrupt the neural pathways controlling the muscles of the arm, resulting in complete or partial paralysis. For individuals unable to reach due to high-level injuries, neuroprostheses can restore some of the lost function. Natural, multidimensional control of neuroprosthetic devices for reaching remains a challenge. Electromyograms (EMGs) from muscles that remain under voluntary control can be used to communicate intended reach trajectories, but when the number of available muscles is limited control can be difficult and unintuitive. We combined shoulder EMGs with target estimates obtained from gaze. Natural gaze data were integrated with EMG during closed-loop robotic control of the arm, using a probabilistic mixture model. We tested the approach with two different sets of EMGs, as might be available to subjects with C4and C5-level spinal cord injuries. Incorporating gaze greatly improved control of reaching, particularly when there were few EMG signals. We found that subjects naturally adapted their eye-movement precision as we varied the set of available EMGs, attaining accurate performance in both tested conditions. The system performs a near-optimal combination of both physiological signals, making control more intuitive and allowing a natural trajectory that reduces the burden on the user.
A unique pathway of cardiac myocyte death caused by hypoxia–acidosis

Chronic hypoxia in the presence of high glucose leads to progressive acidosis of cardiac myocytes in culture. The condition parallels myocardial ischemia in vivo, where ischemic tissue becomes rapidly hypoxic and acidotic. Cardiac myocytes are resistant to chronic hypoxia at neutral pH but undergo extensive death when the extracellular pH (pH[o]) drops below 6.5. A microarray analysis of 20 000 genes (cDNAs and expressed sequence tags) screened with cDNAs from aerobic and hypoxic cardiac myocytes identified >100 genes that were induced by >2-fold and approximately 20 genes that were induced by >5-fold. One of the most strongly induced transcripts was identified as the gene encoding the pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member BNIP3. Northern and western blot analyses confirmed that BNIP3 was induced by 12-fold (mRNA) and 6-fold (protein) during 24 h of hypoxia. BNIP3 protein, but not the mRNA, accumulated 3.5-fold more rapidly under hypoxia-acidosis. Cell fractionation experiments indicated that BNIP3 was loosely bound to mitochondria under conditions of neutral hypoxia but was translocated into the membrane when the myocytes were acidotic. Translocation of BNIP3 coincided with opening of the mitochondrial permeability pore (MPTP). Paradoxically, mitochondrial pore opening did not promote caspase activation, and broad-range caspase inhibitors do not block this cell death pathway. The pathway was blocked by antisense BNIP3 oligonucleotides and MPTP inhibitors. Therefore, cardiac myocyte death during hypoxia-acidosis involves two distinct steps: (1) hypoxia activates transcription of the death-promoting BNIP3 gene through a hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) site in the promoter and (2) acidosis activates BNIP3 by promoting membrane translocation. This is an atypical programmed death pathway involving a combination of the features of apoptosis and necrosis. In this article, we will review the evidence for this unique pathway of cell death and discuss its relevance to ischemic heart disease. The article also contains new evidence that chronic hypoxia at neutral pH does not promote apoptosis or activate caspases in neonatal cardiac myocytes.
Romanticizing differences and managing diversities: a perspective on harmonization, language policy, and planning

Harmonization and other sociolinguistic variants (e.g., unification, soft harmonization, natural harmonization, core, and cluster) are metaphors that describe a series of interlocking metalinguistic processes through which common vocabulary or structure for a putative language is created. Metalinguistic processes are neither historically new nor restricted to Africa. Even though harmonization is situated in this special issue in African contexts (with the exception of one paper on China), five key principles arise whose relevance resonates beyond historical and contemporary Africa: (1) community participation in harmonization projects, (2) the role and status of harmonization as a strategy to facilitate social equality, (3) management of diversity, (4) harmonization and the development of epistemology of African languages, and (5) the adequacy of harmonization as a method of historical analysis. First, it is plausible to argue that harmonization projects are likely to fail if communities do not participate actively in such projects. While this may be true, the converse does not necessarily always apply. In other words, community involvement in harmonization and related projects does not necessarily guarantee the success of such projects (Dobrin 2008). Second, while one of the most powerful arguments supporting harmonization is the benefits of language development, it does not necessarily result in social equality. In some cases, paradoxically, it may even accentuate differences within communities. Third, harmonization creates intellectual opportunities to manage diversity, serving as an important counterpoint
Behavioral simulation techniques for phase/delay-locked systems

This paper presents behavioral simulation techniques for phase/delay-locked systems. Numerical simulation algorithms are compared and the issue of numerical noise is discussed. Behavioral phase noise simulation for phase/delay-locked systems is described. The role of behavioral simulation for phase/delay-locked systems in our top-down constraint-driven design methodology, and in bottom-up verification of designs, is explained with examples. Accuracy and efficiency comparisons with other methods are made. Simulation techniques are described in the framework of phase/delay-locked systems, but simulation methodology and the results attained in this work are applicable to the behavioral simulation of mixed-mode nonlinear dynamic systems. >
Extension of Boltzmann's theory to a liquid

A theory for the nonequilibrium statistical mechanics of a liquid is presented. This theory consists of coupled evolution equations for the one-particle momentum distribution, and for the two-particle correlation function, and it possesses the same important properties as does Boltzmann's theory, namely the local conservation laws, the local h theorem, and the correct equilibrium solution.
Input impedance, radiation pattern, and radar cross section of spiral antennas using FDTD

A finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) analysis of spiral antennas is performed to calculate input impedance, antenna gain, and scattering. A semicircular spiral mounted on a dielectric substrate was simulated for computing the input impedance versus frequency. The gain and scattering computations were performed on a square Archimedean spiral mounted in a ground plane with a cavity backing. Total-field FDTD calculations are used to compute the impedance and gain patterns, while a specially modified scattered-field approach for aperture antennas in infinite ground planes is used for the scattering results. Comparisons are made with published impedance measurements and gain and scattering calculations done with a finite element method. Good results were obtained for impedance, radiation, and scattering. >
Real-time access to prescription drug monitoring databases

See related research article by Dormuth and colleagues on page [E852][1] and at [www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.120465][2] The CMAJ article by Dormuth and colleagues advocates the implementation of centralized prescription monitoring to reduce inappropriate prescribing of benzodiazepines and
Job Satisfaction Characteristics of Higher Education Faculty by Race.

The primary goal of this study was to investigate, at a national level, the job satisfaction characteristics of higher education faculty of 5 different races. Data for this quantitative secondary analysis study were taken from the national study of postsecondary faculty (NSOPF) collected in the year 2004. The study used chi-square, one-way-ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis. The faculty’s job satisfaction was examined by applying Herzberg’s job satisfaction theory. The results of this study indicated some similarities and differences in job satisfaction characteristics of faculty by race. The analyses indicate that where achievement, recognition and responsibility are measured in terms of publications, funded research and number of committees served, Asian/Pacific Islander faculty members performed better than other races in this study. These factors significantly contribute to faculty’s intrinsic job satisfaction. It also appears from the analysis that the majority of faculty of all races was deriving satisfaction from extrinsic factors measured in terms of institutional policies, work climate and benefits. Key words: Job satisfaction, higher education faculty, race, national study of postsecondary faculty.
Ice Crystal Linear Growth Rates from −20° to −70°C: Confirmation from Wave Cloud Studies

AbstractAs a result of recent comprehensive laboratory and field studies, many details have been clarified concerning atmospheric ice crystal habits below −20°C as a function of temperature, ice supersaturation, air pressure, and growth history. A predominance of complex shapes has been revealed that is not reflected in most models, with symmetric shapes often incorrectly emphasized. From the laboratory study, linear (maximum dimension), projected area, and volume growth rates of complex and simple habits have been measured under simulated atmospheric conditions for temperatures from −20° to −70°C. Presently, only a few in situ cases of measured ice crystal growth rates are available for comparison with laboratory results. Observations from the Interaction of Aerosol and Cold Clouds (INTACC) field study of a well-characterized wave cloud at −24°C are compared with the laboratory results using a simple method of habit averaging to derive a range of expected growth rates. Laboratory results are also compare...
Directionally constrained adaptive beam forming to enhance interference nulling in direct-sequence spread-spectrum communication systems

The authors examine a direct-sequence spread-spectrum communication system using an adaptive antenna array to null interference. The system model is a modification of Compton's (1990) system, using a digital implementation and a directional constraint. One of the primary roles of spread-spectrum modulation in the system is to remove the desired signal from the adaptive beam forming process. The simulated results of this directed system indicate that nulling of a tone jammer occurs without respect to direct-sequence code acquisition and that nulling of the desired signal occurs very slowly. Theoretical results are also obtained by using the system covariance matrix, and incorporating the effects of spread-spectrum filtering, to compute the system response as a function of time. These results show that the system may be made to null the jammer quickly and consistently, by using the auxiliary beam output power as a parameter in the least mean-squares (LMS) adaptive beam-forming algorithm. >