cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The social geometry of death: Social structure and capital punishment in Georgia, 1993--2000

The Social Geometry of Death: Social Structure and Capital Punishment in Georgia, 1993 -2000 By Sherod Thaxton In 1976 the U.S. Supreme Court lifted its four year moratorium on executions after deciding the modified death penalty statutes introduced by Florida, Georgia, and Texas contained constitutionally acceptable safeguards to significantly reduce the rampant arbitrariness, capriciousness, and bias that previously plagued the capital punishment process in America. Nonetheless, empirical studies at both the state and federal levels conducted since the death penalty was reinstated have consistently discovered that the administration of capital punishment remains both highly inconsistent and discriminatory. Not only do researchers continue to find that the death penalty is not exclusively reserved for the most heinous murder cases, but also that race/ethnicity, gender, and geography significantly influence the likelihood that a defendant is charged with a capital offense and receives the death penalty. These studies have resulted in considerable debate among legal scholars as to why three decades of procedural reforms to the capital punishment process have failed to satisfactorily reduce the very problems that initially led the Court to invalidate existing death penalty statutes. In a departure from most death penalty analysts, this project argues that previous attempts to reform the capital punishment system have been largely unsuccessful because they do not adequately identify and explain the complex ways in which legally legitimate and illegitimate factors impact legal decision-making. Drawing heavily from the socio-legal and social control literatures, this study advances a theory of legal behavior operating solely at the sociological level to explain capital charging-and-sentencing patterns and tests hypotheses derived from the theory using recent death penalty data from Georgia.
Assessment of Low-Functioning Children

Psychologists and educators are sometimes called upon to assess children whose development is sufficiently deviant or delayed to challenge the assumptions of traditional assessment procedures. Some of these children are so physically handicapped that they cannot interact with traditional test materials. Others have markedly delayed development in all areas. They may be too old (beyond 30 months) for the age norms of the most commonly used infant tests, but are functioning at an infant level. Still others, including many autistic children, are delayed in all areas but also have strikingly deviant development. Perhaps their language skills are much more delayed than motor skills, or they have widely scattered skills within one domain (e.g., good vocal imitation without any vocal communication).
Overcoming a Lack of Self-Assurance in an Achievement Domain

Murray (1938) suggested that the study of personality can be enriched by an understanding of individuals’ goal-directed behavior and their views of the world in relation to their important goals. Current cognitive perspectives in personality have in part taken up this agenda by considering the behavior of individuals as they work toward advancing their important life tasks, in light of knowledge about themselves, about others, and about the task at hand (Cantor, 1990). Knowledge about the self in general—for example, one’s attributes and interests—informs individuals’ selection of which tasks to pursue (Markus, 1983). Self-views of competence at a task determine how individuals are going to work toward making progress on those tasks and how they respond to task-relevant challenges (Bandura, 1982; Niedenthal, Setterlund, & Wherry, 1992). This interaction of self-knowledge and life-task pursuit is not unidirectional, because task-relevant behavior may in turn generate knowledge that is assimilated into existing self-concepts, and this dynamic relationship sometimes affords self-concept change (Bandura, 1982; Bern, 1972).
Treatment of anxiety and depression in transplant patients: Pharmacokinetic considerations

Depressive and anxiety disorders appear during the transplant process due to psychological stressors, medications and physiological disturbances. Treatment is necessary to prevent impact on patient compliance, morbidity and mortality. Psychotropic medications provide an effective option, although most are only available as oral formulations. Because of this, they are more susceptible to alterations in pharmacokinetic behaviour arising from organ dysfunction in the pretransplant period. Kinetics are also an issue when considering potential drug-drug interactions before and after transplantation. Prior to transplant, organ dysfunction can change the pharmacokinetic behaviour of some psychotropic agents, requiring adjustment of dosage and schedules. Thoracic or abdominal organ failure may reduce drug absorption through disturbances in intestinal motility, perfusion and function. Cirrhotic patients experience increased drug bioavailability due to portosystemic shunting, and thus dosage is adjusted downward. In contrast, dosage needs to be raised when peripheral oedema expands the drug distribution volume for hydrophilic and protein-bound agents. Drug clearance for most psychotropic medications is dependent upon hepatic metabolism, which is often disrupted by endstage organ disease. Selection of drugs or their dosage may need to be adjusted to lower the risk of drug accumulation. Further adjustments in dosage may be called for when renal failure accompanies thoracic or abdominal organ failure, resulting in further impairment of clearance. Studies regarding the treatment of anxiety and depressive disorders in the medically ill are limited in number, but recommendations are possible by review of clinical and pharmacokinetic data. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are well tolerated and efficacious for depression, panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Adjustments in dosage are required when renal or hepatic impairment is present. Among them, Citalopram and escitalopram appear to have the least risk of drug-drug interactions. Paroxetine has demonstrated evidence supporting its use with generalised anxiety disorder. Venlafaxine is an alternative option, beneficial in depression, post-traumatic stress and generalised anxiety disorders. Nefazodone may also be considered, but there is some risk of hepatotoxicity and interactions with immunosuppressant drugs. Mirtazapine still needs to be studied further in anxiety disorders, but can be helpful for depression accompanied by anorexia and insomnia. Bupropion is effective in the treatment of depression, but data are sparse about its use in anxiety disorders. Psychostimulants are a unique approach if rapid onset of antidepressant action is desired. Acute or short-term anxiolysis is obtained with benzodiazepines, and selection of particular agents entails consideration of distribution rate, half-life and metabolic route.
COach2Quit: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Personal Carbon Monoxide Monitor for Smoking Cessation

Introduction Mobile phone-based messaging support and biomarker feedback independently show evidence of increasing an individual's likelihood of quitting smoking. However, the combination of these two strategies to facilitate smoking cessation has not been adequately explored. Methods We conducted a randomized controlled trial in Baltimore, Maryland, to assess the efficacy of COach2Quit, a smartphone application that provides exhaled carbon monoxide readings with message support. The primary outcome was self-reported and biochemically verified smoking cessation at 30-day follow-up. Secondary outcomes were reduction in smoking, motivation to quit, and engagement and satisfaction with COach2Quit. An intention-to-treat analysis was conducted. Results Adult smokers were randomized 1:1 to receive brief advice and COach2Quit (intervention, n = 50) or brief advice only (control, n = 52). Thirteen participants were lost to follow-up. At 30-day follow-up, one participant in each arm quit smoking. Median change in carbon monoxide levels (in parts per million (ppm)) (intervention: -3.0 [interquartile range (IQR) -12.0, 2.0]; control: -2.5 [IQR -9.0, 2.0]) and median change in number of cigarettes smoked per day (intervention: -5.5 [IQR -14.0, -1.0]; control: -6.0 [IQR -10.0, -2.0]) was similar between study arms. There was no significant difference in mean percent change in the Reasons for Quitting scale score (intervention: 6.3 [95% confidence interval = -2.2% to 14.8%]; control: -3.6 [95% confidence interval = -9.2% to 2.1%]). A majority (n = 32, 91%) of participants liked having COach2Quit to help them quit smoking. Conclusions There were no significant differences in smoking cessation, smoking reduction, and motivation to quit between study arms. However, high satisfaction with the COach2Quit application indicates its feasibility and acceptability as a smoking cessation tool. Implications Smoking is the leading preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Although counseling and pharmacotherapy are efficacious for smoking cessation, they are not easily accessible or desirable to all smokers, highlighting the need for identifying other interventions. There is evidence for the efficacy of mobile phone-based messaging support for smoking cessation. However, there is limited research on the efficacy of biomarker feedback, much less interventions that combine these two approaches. This research contributes to filling this gap and identifying novel interventions to facilitate smoking cessation.
The sight and site of North Korea: Citizen cartography’s rhetoric of resolution in the satellite imagery of labor camps

ABSTRACTIn recent years, satellite mapping of North Korea, especially of its labor camps, has become an important form of evidence of human rights violations, used by transnational advocacy groups to lobby Western governments for change. A phenomenon of “citizen cartography” has emerged where non-expert humanitarian actors use commercially available software like Google Earth to “infiltrate” the borders of North Korea. This essay interrogates the politics of seeing that takes place in creating the site and sight of North Korea by citizen cartographers, and historicizes these processes of seeing in Cold War and post-Cold War visual culture. Specifically, citizen cartography of North Korea engages in rhetorics of resolution, where the cartographer continually searches for a better, clearer view of the ground below, while still constrained by corporate software and logics of state sovereignty that make it difficult to “resolve” the problem of forced labor.
Parenting, Autonomy in Learning, and Development During Adolescence in China

Autonomy (or self-determination) is a crucial construct in understanding adolescents' development and well-being. This paper presents current knowledge about the features of autonomy in learning, parental autonomy support, and psychological control, and their relations with psychological well-being and academic functioning of Chinese adolescents. Cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence supports the generalizability of Self-Determination Theory to Chinese adolescents. Cross-cultural evidence not only highlights similarities regarding the beneficial effects of autonomy in learning and autonomy support, and the detrimental effects of psychological control on well-being, but also demonstrates differences regarding these associations across Western and Chinese cultures. We conclude with recommendations for future research by focusing on specific profiles of self-determined regulation, more longitudinal studies focusing on the psychological processes underlying the associations between autonomy and development in Chinese adolescents, and conducting culturally sensitive research on parental psychological control.
The Impact of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansion on Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis and Treatment: A National Survey of Physicians

In 2014, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) provided funding for states to expand Medicaid coverage to include citizens who earned up to 138% of the federal poverty line. We sought to ascertain whether physicians practicing in Medicaid expansion states reported an increase in Medicaid or newly insured patients with type 2 diabetes in their panels, compared to physicians practicing in non-expansion states. We conducted a 55-question cross-sectional survey of 356 physicians providing outpatient care for adults with type 2 diabetes. We used adjusted multivariate logistic regression analyses to compare responses from physicians who practiced in expansion versus non-expansion states regarding whether they observed an increase since 2014 in (1) the number of Medicaid or newly insured patients with diabetes and (2) the number of additional newly or previously diagnosed patients who were newly receiving care, in their panels, adjusting for physician, practice, and patient-level characteristics, weighted for the U.S. physician population. 41% of eligible recipients responded. 64.2% of physicians who practice in an expansion state report an increase in Medicaid or newly insured patients with diabetes compared with 46.1% who practice in non-expansion states (p = 0.05; Table 2). Compared with physicians who practice in non-expansion states, physicians who practice in Medicaid expansion states are more likely to report an increase in the number of Medicaid or newly insured patients with diabetes in their practice since 2014. The increased access associated with the Medicaid expansion may improve long-term outcomes for patients with type 2 diabetes.
Designing Anti-Poverty Programs in Emerging Economies in the 21st Century: Lessons from Indonesia for the World

Governments of developing countries around the world have dramatically expanded social protection programs for the poor in recent decades. In doing so, they face a host of challenges in the targeti...
The medial prefrontal cortex: a potential link between self-deception and affect

The Medial Prefrontal Cortex (MPFC) is crucial for normal social functioning in humans. Because of its involvement in social monitoring, self-awareness, and self-enhancement, the MPFC may be critical to buffering negative affect and establishing a positive self-esteem. For example, we have previously found that disruption of the MPFC leads to more honest responses, which implies that the MPFC may be critically involved in self-deception. We therefore hypothesized that disrupting the MPFC would lead to a decrease in affect. Employing a virtual lesion TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) technique, we disrupted the MPFC while participants rated their mood based on two anchor affect terms. During TMS, the participants rated their current emotional mental state. Compared to sham TMS, it was found that mood was reduced immediately following single-pulse MPFC stimulation. The results supported the hypothesis the MPFC mood reduction occurs when the MPFC is disrupted. Because this study replicated the conditions employed in previous self-deception studies, we suggest that the results may indicate that lack of self-enhancement may lead to a decrease in mood. Further studies should examine this possibility.
Functional neurology after the Second World War: The beginnings of neurology on screen (III)

Treatment of functional symptoms has a long history, and interventions were often used in soldiers returning from battle. On the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, I review the portrayal of neurology in documentary film. Two documentaries were released in 1946 and 1948 (Let There Be Light and Shades of Gray, respectively), which showed a number of soldiers with functional neurology including paralysis, stuttering, muteness, and amnesia. The films showed successful treatments with hypnosis and sodium amytal by psychoanalytic psychiatrists. These documentaries link neurology with psychiatry and are remarkable examples of functional neurology and its treatment on screen.
Centering Patients, Revealing Structures: The Health Humanities Portrait Approach

This paper introduces an innovative curricular approach-the Health Humanities Portrait Approach (Portrait Approach)-and its pedagogical tool-the Health Humanities Portrait (HHP). Both enable health professions learners to examine pressing social issues that shape, and are shaped by, experiences of health and illness. The Portrait Approach is grounded in a set of "critical portraiture" principles that foster humanities-driven analytical skills. The HHP's architecture is distinctively framed around a pressing social theme and utilizes a first-person narrative and scholarship to explore how the dimensions of the personal and the structural are mutually constituted. We argue that when creator-educators adopt the Portrait Approach and its critical portraiture principles to design and teach the HHP, they enable learners to become proficient in synthesizing and analyzing-with both depth and breadth-the human and social dimensions of patients' lives. This inventive curricular intervention provides a needed contribution to health professions education in that it utilizes health humanities methodologies to elucidate the multiple aspects of health, illness, disability, and healthcare.
Application of the theory of planned behavior to predict smoking intentions: cross-cultural comparison of Kenyan and American young adults.

Despite well-established research on the applications of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in the American culture, TPB has not been fully tested in the Kenyan culture. This study compared the applications of TPB in predicting smoking intentions (i.e., future and weekend smoking intentions) of Kenyan and American young adults. Data were collected from 252 Kenyans and 227 Americans. The Kenyan participants consisted of 41.7% females with a mean age of 25 years (SD = 4.81). The American participants (49.3% females) had an average age of 19 years (SD = 1.30). Multi-group path analysis was performed to test the equivalence of a TPB-based mediation model in Kenyans and Americans. Significant differences of TPB application were detected. In the American model, smoking consequence beliefs were indirectly associated with smoking intentions through attitudes whereas neither direct nor indirect effects of smoking consequence beliefs were detected in the Kenyan model. Instead, normative beliefs indirectly associated with future and weekend smoking intentions through attitudes and subjective norms in the Kenyan model. Despite some overlapping paths, there were cultural variations on specific associations among TPB constructs between Kenyans and Americans. Cultural adaptations may be needed when applying TPB in the Kenyan cultural context.
Designing a Smart Service for Customer Need Identification in B2B Ticketing Systems

In many service relationships, customer encounters are not systematically exploited in order to gain valuable insights. However, service analytics methods would provide effective means to systematically screen customer responses and automatically extract relevant business information. In this chapter, we show how a smart service can be developed for screening incident information in IT services to detect customer needs. We implement and evaluate it with an IT provider covering several thousands of incident tickets per year. We show that it is feasible to map incoming tickets to a domain-specific selection of needs—and, hence, enable the providers’ customer contacts to address unfilled needs with tailored service offerings. Thus, we allow service marketing and innovation managers to automatically and scalably monitor their customer base for additional sales opportunities and improvement of customer satisfaction.
Contralateral C7 Nerve Transfer for Stroke Recovery: New Frontier for Peripheral Nerve Surgery

Ischemic stroke remains a major cause of disability in the United States and worldwide. Following the large-scale implementation of stroke thrombectomy and the optimization of treatment protocols for acute stroke, the reduction in stroke-associated mortality has resulted in an increased proportion of stroke survivors, many of whom have moderate to severe disability. To date, the treatment of subacute and chronic stroke has remained a challenge. Several approaches, involving pharmacological interventions to promote neuroplasticity, brain stimulation strategies and rehabilitative interventions, are currently being explored at different stages of the translational spectrum, yet level 1 evidence is still limited. In a recent landmark study, surgical intervention using contralateral C7 nerve transfer, an approach used to treat brachial plexus injury, was implemented in patients with chronic stroke, demonstrating an added benefit to standard rehabilitation strategies, leading to improved motor performance and reduced spasticity. The procedure involved the transfer of the C7 nerve root and middle trunk from the uninjured extremity to the injured extremity using a short conduit that allows for faster regeneration and innervation of the injured upper extremity via the ipsilateral (contralesional) hemisphere. In this work, we review the rationale for using contralateral C7 nerve transfer in stroke, describe the surgical intervention with associated variations and limitations, and discuss the current evidence for the efficacy of this technique in ischemic stroke research.
Sonic Boom Research at NASA Dryden: Objectives and Flight Results from the Lift and Nozzle Change Effects on Tail Shock (Lancets) Project

The principal objective of the Supersonics Project is to develop and validate multidisciplinary physics-based predictive design, analysis and optimization capabilities for supersonic vehicles. For aircraft, the focus will be on eliminating the efficiency, environmental and performance barriers to practical supersonic flight. Previous flight projects found that a shaped sonic boom could propagate all the way to the ground (F-5 SSBD experiment) and validated design tools for forebody shape modifications (F-5 SSBD and Quiet Spike experiments). The current project, Lift and Nozzle Change Effects on Tail Shock (LaNCETS) seeks to obtain flight data to develop and validate design tools for low-boom tail shock modifications. Attempts will be made to alter the shock structure of NASA's NF-15B TN/837 by changing the lift distribution by biasing the canard positions, changing the plume shape by under- and over-expanding the nozzles, and changing the plume shape using thrust vectoring. Additional efforts will measure resulting shocks with a probing aircraft (F-15B TN/836) and use the results to validate and update predictive tools. Preliminary flight results are presented and are available to provide truth data for developing and validating the CFD tools required to design low-boom supersonic aircraft.
A Review of “The Flight of the Century: Charles Lindbergh and the Rise of American Aviation”

The crowded airspace of Lindbergh history is not for the faint of heart, especially considering that two works on the subject—Lindbergh's own The Spirit of St. Louis (1953) and A. Scott Berg's Lind...
Editorial: A call to arms: The need to create an inter-institutional concussion neuroimaging consortium to discover clinically relevant diagnostic biomarkers and develop evidence-based interventions to facilitate recovery

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI/concussion) as experienced through sports, combat, and automobile-related injuries has emerged as a major public health issue. Unfortunately, only limited science ...
No Child Left Behind and High School Reform.

Although No Child Left Behind (NCLB) aims to close the achievement gap that parallels race and class, some of its key provisions are at odds with reforms that are successfully overhauling the large, comprehensive high schools that traditionally have failed students of color and low-income students in urban areas. While small, restructured schools are improving graduation and college attendance rates, NCLB accountability provisions create counterincentives that encourage higher dropout and push-out rates for low-achieving students (especially English language learners), create obstacles to staffing that allow for greater personalization, and discourage performance assessments that cultivate higher-order thinking and performance abilities. In this article, Linda Darling-Hammond proposes specific amendments to NCLB that could help achieve the goal of providing high-quality, equitable education for all students by recruiting highly qualified teachers and defining such teachers in appropriate ways; by rethinki...
Real-time measurement of sarcomere length changes during contraction of single heart cells using a phase-locked loop

We have to date investigated cardiac mechanics at the cellular level by monitoring cell force and cell length. However, the understanding of the biophysics of twitch contractions of cardiac muscle ultimately requires real time measurements of sarcomere length. In this report, we describe improvements to our instrumentation system which utilize a phase locked loop to track the changes in sarcomere length during a twitch contraction.
Effect of desalivation on water and sodium chloride intake in rats.

Abstract Desalivate rats consumed significantly less water than sham-operated rats in response to acute challenges with a variety of dipsogens, including polyethelene glycol (PEG), isoproterenol, serotonin, and an angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitor (CEI). Nonsignificant reductions were recorded after treatments with either angiotensin II or hypertonic NaCl. Meal-related hyperdipsia, and resultant possible hyperhydration, of desalivate rats does not account fully for these reductions in experimental thirsts. The mean 24-h intake of three concentrations of NaCl, in choice with water, showed no difference in the preferences for NaCl of desalivate and sham-operated animals. During chronic administration of CEIs, both desalivate and sham-operated rats showed comparable induction of NaCl appetite.
Statistical Study of Electric Fields from Earth-Return Tests in the Western States Compared with Natural Electric Fields

Preliminary grounding tests have been carried out by the Bonneville Power Administration and by the Bureau of Reclamation in three regions of the western states, in preparation for the installation of a HVDC transmission system linking the Pacific Northwest and Southwest regions. Electric fields observed about ground mat locations in the Washington-Oregon area, the southern Nevada area, and the central California area were analyzed statistically as a function of distance from the ground mat. These fields are compared with the probable levels of natural fields induced by slow variations in the earth's magnetic field-in order to estimate the possible hazards involved in using ground return for current in a HVDC system.
Financial innovation, deregulation, and the slope of the LM

In the last decade, the financial environment has been characterized by deregulation and financial innovation. Consequently, a large volume of studies has been undertaken to describe, analyze, and measure the impact of these developments on the interest elasticity of money demand and the stability of the money demand function, as well as on the effectiveness of monetary policy. Several shifts in the money demand function have been identified and the interest elasticity has been, in most cases, found to have increased. The latter has been attributed to the proliferation of money substitutes (Gurley and Shaw hypothesis) and to the fact that M 1 has been contaminated by more interest sensitive portfolio balances. However, the impact of recent developments, particularly that of deregulation, on the slope of the .LM schedule has not been clearly identified. It is shown here that the effect of deregulation on the slope of the LM schedule can be, at least in theory, isolated from that of financial innovation and that it depends on how interest is paid on M1 and on how the money demand function is specified. First, assume that the interest paid on M 1 is tied to the open market rate and that there is a log-linear demand function m = f ( r f ) p, where m is real balances, y is real income, r is the open market rate, and f is the reserve requirement ratio. The interest paid on M 1 is r ( l f ) and the net opportunity cost of holding such balances is rf. Thus, a competitive banking industry and no currency is assumed. Such payment of flexible interest on Ml will have no impact on the slope of the LM, since the interest elasticity, E, remains E (elm~dr) ( r /m) = / / . Under the semi-log Cagan specification, however, with m : y~e p~, E = ,~'f. Since in a fractional reserve requirement system f is less than 1, the elasticity is reduced and the LM becomes steeper. In the extreme case wh e r e f = 0, the LM is vertical. Now, assuming that interest on M1 is fixed or regulated by authorities, the loglinear function becomes m : f ( r i) B, where i is the fixed interest on M I. Then E =/3r/(r -i), so that the payment of i on M1 increases E and thus flattens LM. Finally, under Cagan function, and with fixed interest payments on M l, one obtains m : y~e ~ ' 0. It can be seen that E now equals fir, so that deregulation leaves the interest elasticity and the slope of the LM invariant to L Note that in each of the cases above, financial innovation may have raised //, so that the net impact of recent changes on E and on the slope of the LM depends both on deregulation and financial innovation.
Effect of cirrhosis on antibiotic efficacy in a rat model of pneumococcal pneumonia

A rat model was used to study the effects of cirrhosis on antibiotic therapy of pneumococcal pneumonia. Cirrhotic and control male Sprague-Dawley rats were infected transtracheally with type 3 Streptococcus pneumoniae. Treatment began 18 h later with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), azithromycin (50 mg/kg), trovafloxacin (50 mg/kg), or ceftriaxone (100 mg/kg) injected subcutaneously twice daily for 5 days. Antibiotic concentrations were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Azithromycin, trovafloxacin, and ceftriaxone were all equally effective at preventing mortality in both cirrhotic and normal rats. Free fraction area under the curve to minimum inhibitory concentration ratio (AUC/MIC) and maximum calculated serum concentration to MIC ratio (C(max)/MIC) and percent time that the serum concentration exceeded the MIC (%T > MIC) were greater for ceftriaxone compared with azithromycin or trovafloxacin. Azithromycin achieved higher concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), epithelial lining fluid (ELF), and BAL white blood cells than ceftriaxone or trovafloxacin in cirrhotic rats. Macrolide, beta-lactam, or fluoroquinolone antibiotic efficacy in a pneumococcal pneumonia model does not appear to be affected by hepatic cirrhosis.
Adapting an in-person patient-caregiver communication intervention to a tailored web-based format.

Background Interventions that target cancer patients and their caregivers have been shown to improve communication, support, and emotional well-being.
As-cast structure of DC casting 7075 aluminum alloy obtained under dual-frequency electromagnetic field

We have experimentally determined the as-cast structures of semi-continuous casting 7075 aluminum alloy obtained in the presence of dual-frequency electromagnetic field. Results suggest that the use of dual-frequency electromagnetic field during the semi-continuous casting process of 7075 aluminum alloy ingots reduces the thickness of the surface segregation layer, increases the height of the melt meniscus, enhances the surface quality of the ingot, and changes the surface morphology of the melt pool. Moreover, low-frequency electromagnetic field was found to show the most obvious influence on improving the as-cast structure because of its high permeability in conductors.
Ernest Becker: A vital resource for counselling psychology

In this article we highlight the work of Ernest Becker for counselling psychology professionals and provide a brief overview of Becker's contributions. Several important themes from his writings relevant to counselling psychology are reviewed, including: the uniqueness of man, socialization and self-esteem, culture and heroism, the relativity of heroism, the fear of death, and the dynamics of evil. We also discuss some of the implications of Becker's work for counselling psychology and counselling psychology professionals, including: providing an integrative perspective on human behaviour and development, implications for multicultural counselling, understanding the hero system, the centrality of death in life, and helping people make meaning. We consider Ernest Becker's work a vital resource for counselling psychology.
The molecular structure of selenonyl fluoride, SeO2F2, and sulfuryl fluoride, SO2F2, as determined by gas-phase electron diffraction

Abstract The molecular structure of selenonyl fluoride (SeO2F2) and sulfuryl fluoride (SO2F2) has been studied by gas-phase electron diffraction. The geometries of both molecules are consistent with predictions of VSEPR (valence-shell electron-pair repulsion) theory. The results for the more important distance (ra), bond angle, and r.m.s. amplitude (l) parameters with estimated uncertainties estimated at 2σ are for SeO2F2 r(Se = 0) = 1.575 A (0.002), r(Se-F) = 1.685 A (0.002), ∠OSeO = 126.2° (0.5), ∠FSeF = 94.1° (0.5), l(Se = 0) = 0.0440 A (0.0046), l(Se-F) = 0.0472 A (0.0042), and for SO2F2 r(S = 0) = 1.397 A (0.002), r(S-F) = 1.530 A (0.002), ∠OSO = 122.6° (1.2), ∠FSF = 96.7° (1.1), l(S = 0) = 0.0331 A (0.0015), l(S-F) = 0.0393 A (0.0018).
Hypoventilation and cor pulmonale due to chronic upper airway obstruction

A syndrome of chronic upper airway obstruction, hypoventilation, and cor pulmonale seen in 2 patients is described. These children both manifested varying degrees of CO 2 retention, pulmonary hypertension, and right ventricular hypertrophy. Relief of the upper airway obstruction by tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy resulted in regression of the presenting symptoms and signs.
The Evolving Landscape of Neuroendocrine Tumors

Neuroendocrine tumors (NET) encompass a heterogeneous group of tumors demonstrating varied clinical behavior. The field has recently witnessed several important developments stemming from improvements in histopathological classification schemes, advanced imaging techniques, and a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying tumor progression (in both sporadic and hereditary cancers). Platinum-based chemotherapy remains the mainstay of therapy for high grade carcinomas. In contrast, the treatment of advanced well-differentiated NET depends on site of origin, underlying tumor biology, and whether or not the patient is symptomatic. Somatostatin analogs continue to play a key role in controlling hormone-mediated symptoms. In addition, octreotide has demonstrated anti-tumor activity in midgut carcinoids. Novel somatostatin analogs (for use alone or in the context of peptide receptor radiotherapy or imaging) are on the horizon. Agents targeting VEGF- and mTOR-pathway signaling have been approved for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. In addition, two RET inhibitors have been approved for medullary thyroid cancer, evidence for a fundamentally new treatment paradigm (based on the use of targeted agents). Despite the advances, there remains a serious unmet need for additional treatment options for refractory high-grade neuroendocrine carcinomas, paragangliomas/pheochromocytomas, adrenocortical carcinomas, and progressive carcinoid tumors. Furthermore, the role of liver-directed therapy in the context of available systemic approaches needs clarification. Steady progress is anticipated, however, given the unprecedented number of ongoing clinical trials related to NET (including studies focused on symptom control, genetics, imaging, and novel therapies).
Duplicitous growth of infiltrative basal cell carcinoma: Analysis of clinically undetected tumor extent in a paired case-control study.

BACKGROUND Many clinicians believe infiltrative basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a more difficult tumor to eradicate than nodular BCC because the growth of infiltrative BCC is not easy to detect clinically. However, data supporting this observation are largely anecdotal. OBJECTIVE Our purpose was to show that infiltrative BCC have wider and deeper tumor extensions than nodular BCC of similar clinical size. METHODS In this retrospective study, 139 cases of infiltrative BCC excised by Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) were matched to a control group of 139 cases of nodular BCC similarly excised. They were paired by site, size, number of recurrences, age, gender, and previous treatment type. The cases were selected and paired by computer from 1197 consecutive BCC (primary and recurrent) referred for MMS over a 5-year period. MMS technique allowed us to quantitate the extent of tumor spread using three measurements: the number of surgical stages required for complete removal of tumor, the width of tissue required to remove subdinical extension of tumor, and the depth of defect at completion of MMS. RESULTS Analysis showed the infiltrative BCC was more difficult to detect and to eradicate than the nodular BCC. The number of surgical stages required for complete removal of tumor, the width of tissue required to remove subclinical extension of tumor, and the depth of defect at completion of MMS were all greater with infiltrative BCC when compared with nodular BCC regardless of whether cases mere primary or recurrent. These differences were all statistically significant. CONCLUSION Infiltrative BCC can be significantly more destructive than nodular BCC because tumor extension is difficult to detect clinically. Clinicians should treat infiltrative BCC with its potential for covert invasion in mind.
Development of a maskless microplasma surface patterning system for biologics printing

A maskless microplasma surface patterning system for biologics printing has been developed. The novel system integration includes a low-temperature atmospheric plasma jet and a multi-nozzle freeform biomolecule printing apparatus. Microplasma surface patterning was applied on polystyrene and characterized biologically.
A Link between Virulence and Homeostatic Responses to Hypoxia during Infection by the Human Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

Fungal pathogens of humans require molecular oxygen for several essential biochemical reactions, yet virtually nothing is known about how they adapt to the relatively hypoxic environment of infected tissues. We isolated mutants defective in growth under hypoxic conditions, but normal for growth in normoxic conditions, in Cryptococcus neoformans, the most common cause of fungal meningitis. Two regulatory pathways were identified: one homologous to the mammalian sterol-response element binding protein (SREBP) cholesterol biosynthesis regulatory pathway, and the other a two-component-like pathway involving a fungal-specific hybrid histidine kinase family member, Tco1. We show that cleavage of the SREBP precursor homolog Sre1—which is predicted to release its DNA-binding domain from the membrane—occurs in response to hypoxia, and that Sre1 is required for hypoxic induction of genes encoding for oxygen-dependent enzymes involved in ergosterol synthesis. Importantly, mutants in either the SREBP pathway or the Tco1 pathway display defects in their ability to proliferate in host tissues and to cause disease in infected mice, linking for the first time to our knowledge hypoxic adaptation and pathogenesis by a eukaryotic aerobe. SREBP pathway mutants were found to be a hundred times more sensitive than wild-type to fluconazole, a widely used antifungal agent that inhibits ergosterol synthesis, suggesting that inhibitors of SREBP processing could substantially enhance the potency of current therapies.
In vivo T1ρ and T2 mapping of articular cartilage in osteoarthritis of the knee using 3 T MRI

Summary Objective Evaluation and treatment of patients with early stages of osteoarthritis (OA) is dependent upon an accurate assessment of the cartilage lesions. However, standard cartilage dedicated magnetic resonance (MR) techniques are inconclusive in quantifying early degenerative changes. The objective of this study was to determine the ability of MR T1rho ( T 1ρ ) and T 2 mapping to detect cartilage matrix degeneration between normal and early OA patients. Method Sixteen healthy volunteers (mean age 41.3) without clinical or radiological evidence of OA and 10 patients (mean age 55.9) with OA were scanned using a 3Tesla (3T) MR scanner. Cartilage volume and thickness, and T 1ρ and T 2 values were compared between normal and OA patients. The relationship between T 1ρ and T 2 values, and Kellgren–Lawrence scores based on plain radiographs and the cartilage lesion grading based on MR images were studied. Results The average T 1ρ and T 2 values were significantly increased in OA patients compared with controls (52.04±2.97ms vs 45.53±3.28ms with P =0.0002 for T 1ρ , and 39.63±2.69ms vs 34.74±2.48ms with P =0.001 for T 2 ). Increased T 1ρ and T 2 values were correlated with increased severity in radiographic and MR grading of OA. T 1ρ has a larger range and higher effect size than T 2 , 3.7 vs 3.0. Conclusion Our results suggest that both in vivo T 1ρ and T 2 relaxation times increase with the degree of cartilage degeneration. T 1ρ relaxation time may be a more sensitive indicator for early cartilage degeneration than T 2 . The ability to detect early cartilage degeneration prior to morphologic changes may allow us to critically monitor the course of OA and injury progression, and to evaluate the success of treatment to patients with early stages of OA.
Amelioration of Enteric Neuropathology in a Mouse Model of Niemann-Pick C by Npc1 Expression in Enteric Glia

Niemann-Pick C (NPC) disease is an autosomal recessive, lethal, neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutations in NPC1. Using the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) promoter, we demonstrated previously that astrocyte-specific expression of Npc1 decreased neuronal storage of cholesterol in Npc1−/− mice, reduced numbers of axonal spheroids, and produced less degeneration of neurons, reactive astrocytes, and loss of myelin tracts in the central nervous system. GFAP-Npc1, Npc1−/− mice exhibited markedly enhanced survival and death was not associated with the severe terminal weight loss observed in Npc1−/− mice. Intestinal transit is delayed in Npc1−/− mice, but is normal in GFAP-NPC1, Npc1−/− until late in the course of their disease. Since glia play an important role in the enteric nervous system, we studied morphology and cholesterol content of intestines from Npc1−/− mice and examined the effect of GFAP-promoted restoration of Npc1 in enteric glia. While the number of neurons was not altered, the total amount of cholesterol stored in the small intestine was decreased, as was the number of neurons with inclusions and the number of inclusions per neuron. We conclude that expression of Npc1 by enteric glial cells can ameliorate the enteric neuropathology and we speculate that dysfunction of the enteric nervous system contributes to the retarded intestinal transit, weight loss, and demise of Npc1−/− mice.
Community-Based Long-Term Care Case Management Models for Older Adults

Abstract Many models of case management exist for helping frail older adults address their significant social and health care needs. This article seeks to understand the common issues associated with the models by comparing the models using specific criteria. These criteria include: purpose; target population; inclusion criteria; referral/recruitment; siting/location; type of case management; time period; resource base; personnel/staff/training; interventions/supports; service dosage; non-professional involvement/self-help; evaluation hypotheses/questions; and barriers to success/suggestions for change. Based on the analysis, discussion focuses on the potential issues for developing community-based case management services while addressing the important role that gerontological social workers play in the process.
Improved acetone-butanol fermentation analysis using subambient HPLC column temperature

Abstract A computer-coupled HPLC system with a refractive index detector was developed for measuring within 30 min analysis time the substrate, dextrose, and the products, acetic acid, ethanol, acetoin, acetone, butyric acid, and butanol, produced by Clostridium acetobutylicum in the acetone-butanol fermentation. Excellent resolution for each peak was achieved by adjusting the Biorad HPX-87H column temperature to 14°C.
Pericapillary fibrin cuffs in venous ulceration : persistence with treatment and during ulcer healing

A recent hypothesis suggests that venous hypertension leads to ulceration through the formation of pericapillary fibrin cuffs, which are presumed to impede the exchange of oxygen and other nutrients. In this report, we evaluated by direct immunofluorescence the presence of pericapillary fibrin at the edge of venous ulcers during the course of treatment with elastic compression. In an initial group of 23 patients studied at baseline, pericapillary fibrin cuffs were detected in 20 (91%) of 22 patients. The intensity of fibrin staining, rated blindly on a scale of 0 to 3, could not be correlated with several baseline parameters, including the clinical presence and extent of lipodermatosclerosis, ulcer size, venous recovery time, and transcutaneous oxygen measurements (TcPO2) taken next to the ulcer. Eleven of this initial group of 23 patients were randomly selected to receive elastic compression treatment, and were evaluated for the persistence of pericapillary fibrin at 60 and 120 days. Although a reduction (mean +/- SD = 50.2% +/- 25.7) in ulcer size occurred in 10 of the 11 patients, pericapillary fibrin was still present at the ulcer edge and with undiminished intensity. We conclude that pericapillary fibrin cuffs in venous ulcers persist with compression treatment and in spite of healing, and are unlikely to be directly related to the development of ulceration.
Removal of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles from Aqueous Suspensions

An experimental investigation was carried out to assess the removal efficiency of metal oxide nanoparticles from aqueous suspensions via sedimentation and the added benefit of membrane filtration. The study was conducted with aqueous suspensions of TiO2, ZnO, and CeO2 nanoparticles (NPs) of primary size of 10 nm–21 nm. The removal of NPs by gravitational settling was carried out with suspensions that were pretreated via pH adjustment and coagulant addition in order to increase the agglomerate size. Removal efficiencies were as high as 72.3–98.6% for the studied NPs with subsequent ultrafiltration of the remaining suspensions (post sedimentation) enabling essentially complete NP removal.
Congress on women's health Trudy Bush lecture 2014: new insights into sex Hormones and Cardiovascular disease

Many basic, mechanistic studies of how sex steroids alter vascular function proceeded from Dr. Bush's seminal epidemiologic observations that noncontraceptive use of estrogen reduced all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. However, translating findings from these basic science studies into clinical trials and clinical guidelines has been controversial. This commentary reviews the development of sex steroid vascular research, identifies mechanisms by which sex steroids affect vascular function, reviews findings from recent clinical hormone trials, and identifies challenges and the need for continued funding of such investigations.