cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Amplification of Tissue Peroxides in Disease

The fatty acid oxygenases, cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase, require hydroperoxides to achieve maximal rates of reaction, and their reaction products are hydroperoxides that can stimulate a faster oxygenation reaction. The cyclooxygenase can be stimulated to half-maximal velocity by 20 picomoles of lipid hydroperoxide per ml (1), while it can generate nanomoles of the hydroperoxide, prostaglandin G2 (PGG2). Soybean lipoxygenase, and all other lipoxygenases, also react faster as the level of lipid hydroperoxide is amplified. Thus, intracellular amplification of lipid hydroperoxides by the fatty acid oxygenases may be closely related to high rates of formation of eicosanoids (prostaglandins and leukotrienes). This relationship has broader importance when overproduction of eicosanoids is recognized to be a common occurrence in many major pathophysiological events (2). The intracellular amplification by the fatty acid oxygenases of “triggering” levels of hydroperoxide (3) to higher levels that permit pathological rates of eicosanoid synthesis needs careful study. Intracellular levels of to 10−9to 10−7 M lipid hydroperoxide seem likely to be involved in this amplification.
Meet your surgical team: The impact of a resident-led quality improvement project on patient satisfaction

Abstract Background Patients often have an incomplete understanding of the levels of training and roles of the various surgical providers in teaching hospitals, leading to patient confusion and dissatisfaction. Methods Pre-intervention discharge surveys were administered to gastrointestinal surgery inpatients (10/2016–02/2017) to evaluate sentiments regarding their surgical team. During the intervention period (02/2017–05/2017), patients at admission received “facesheets” containing team member profiles, photos, training level, and roles. These patients were evaluated using the survey, and pre- and post-intervention scores compared. Results 153 pre- and 100 post-intervention surveys were collected. There was a significant increase in patients reporting it was important to know the surgical team members and that they knew team member roles (p ≤ 0.05). Scores in every domain of the satisfaction survey improved in the post-intervention period, although not reaching statistical significance. Conclusions Improving how patients perceive their interactions with their surgical team has implications on patient satisfaction and hospital quality metrics.
Selective Export into Extracellular Vesicles and Function of tRNA Fragments during T Cell Activation.

The discovery of microRNA (miRNA) sorting into extracellular vesicles (EVs) revealed a novel mode of intercellular communication and uncovered a link between cellular endomembrane compartments and small RNAs in EV-secreting cells. Using a two-step ultracentrifugation procedure to isolate EVs released by T cells, we found that 45% of tRNA fragments (tRFs), but fewer than 1% of miRNAs, were significantly enriched in EVs compared with the corresponding cellular RNA. T cell activation induced the EV-mediated release of a specific set of tRFs derived from the 5' end and 3'-internal region of tRNAs without variable loops. Inhibition of EV biogenesis pathways specifically led to the accumulation of these activation-induced EV-enriched tRFs within multivesicular bodies (MVBs). Introducing antisense oligonucleotides to inhibit these tRFs enhanced T cell activation. Taken together, these results demonstrate that T cells selectively release tRFs into EVs via MVBs and suggest that this process may remove tRFs that repress immune activation.
Sentinel node biopsy should be offered in thin melanoma with mitotic rate greater than one

BACKGROUND The American Joint Committee on Cancer recently added mitotic rate (MR) to their seventh edition staging system for melanomas, which went into effect on January 1, 2010. MR has replaced the Clark level of invasion for T1 melanomas. Dermatologists and dermatopathologists should be aware of these new guidelines. OBJECTIVE To clarify how MR may be used to determine the prognosis of thin melanomas and to identify patients with thin melanomas who would be candidates for a sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). METHODS Reports in the literature were reviewed regarding mitotic rate in thin melanomas and the use of MR for prognosis and as an indication for SLNB. RESULTS Multiple studies have shown MR to be a significant prognostic factor, surpassing Clark level of invasion, in patients with thin melanomas. SLNB is the best prognostic method for staging T1b (<1 mm thick with MR≥1 or ulceration), T2, T3, and T4 melanomas, and SLNB should be discussed and offered to these patients. CONCLUSIONS Multiple studies support the use of MR in staging for thin melanomas, and patients with a high MR should be considered for SLNB. Sekula-Gibbs, MD, has indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters.
Drug-resistant catheter-associated urinary tract Infection (CAUTI): an enlightened therapeutic approach (Conference Presentation)

Catheter–associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) cause millions of infections in the US every year, with direct medical costs exceeding billions of dollars and resulting in > 1 million ER visits and hospitalizations, resulting in thousands of deaths. CAUTI is thought to be a major reservoir both containing and creating highly drug-resistant infections, due to the chronicity of infection, biofilm formation, and the setting of institutionalization with chronic exposure to antibiotics, thus enabling resistance. To reduce antibiotic resistance developing in this setting, we are attempting to apply both antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT), antimicrobial blue light (aBL), and combinations of both with minimal use of antibiotics. To this end, we established a rat model of UTI. In this model, we catheterized female rats, infected them with a standard uropathogenic E.Coli (UPEC; UTI89), infused the bladder with methylene blue (MB) and potassium Iodide (KI), and illuminated the bladder once with a diffusing fiber connected to a 1W 660nm laser. Multilog killing was observed, but given the transient nature of ROS generation, regrowth of UPEC was seen 24 hours later. To this end, we are experimenting with the combination of illumination with antibiotics. When tetracyclines are illuminated by aBL, we have found > 6 log(10) steps of microbial killing in vitro, and significant drops in the antibiotic MIC effected by the combination of light and drug. Multiple treatments with aBL and aPDT both with and without limited intravesical application of antimicrobials may light the way to solving this problem.
Contextual analysis of engineering student academic success at a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI)

In this Research to Practice Full Paper, we analyzed 60,427 student-semester entries from 12,053 engineering students, enrolled at a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) over 8 years, to investigate contextually relevant factors of student academic success. We examined the relation of student semester Grade Point Average (GPA) with the following factors: living on campus or off campus, being enrolled part-time or fulltime, Hispanic citizen vs. undocumented, being first-generation college student, financial need, and transfer status. When appropriate, we also considered the role of race and ethnicity within each of the factors. In addition to the t-test to compare the average semester GPAs, we also calculated the effect size in the cases were the difference in GPA was significant. The results indicated the difference between the average semester GPA was significant, with the exception living on or off campus for Asian students. However, in all cases but being enrolled part-time or fulltime, the effect size was small. Interestingly, undocumented Hispanic students had a higher GPA than Hispanic citizens.
Explicitness of deductive instruction and L2 development: A study on the Spanish imperfect subjunctive

This study investigated the effects that different types of instruction varying in explicitness had on 88 intermediate-level Spanish learners’ development of the imperfect subjunctive on a reading task. Participants were randomly assigned to one of 3 experimental conditions that differed in their degree of instructional explicitness (+/− deductive). One condition (+Deductive) received a detailed grammar explanation prior to task; a second condition (−Deductive) received a hint about a new target form present in the reading task, and the third condition (Baseline) was not presented with any grammar information or hint. The study consisted of 3 sessions, following a pre/post/delayed computerized test design with 2 weeks between sessions. Results showed that the −Deductive condition performed as well as the +Deductive condition immediately and 2 weeks after treatment for both Interpretation and Controlled production tests.
Frugal innovation in the cardiac catheter laboratory: Retrograde balloon mitral valvuloplasty using extra back-up guide catheter.

Conventional antegrade balloon mitral valvuloplasty is not possible or better avoided in certain clinical situations. Retrograde balloon mitral valvuloplasty is a purely arterial technique designed to avoid complications of atrial septal puncture. We report a case of rheumatic heart disease with severe mitral stenosis and large atrial septal aneurysm where balloon mitral valvuloplasty was performed retrogradely with innovative use of routinely available cardiac catheter laboratory hardware instead of specialised hardware required for such cases. .
On Being the Subject of the Rule of Law

Martin Krygier's work on the rule of law redirects our attention from analytical definitions and checklists of desiderata to the practical effect of government on the ground. In doing so, he has taken real world examples - particularly from Eastern Europe -- as his touchstone. His account of what it means to live under the rule of law is rigorous enough to be useful but flexible enough to allow us to assess new cases,including what is happening today in Hungary and Poland.
Managerial Recognition as an Incentive for Innovation Platform Engagement: A Field Experiment and Interview Study at NASA

What might motivate employees to participate in internal crowdsourcing, a peer-based approach to innovation? Should organizations use incentives that are congruent with their established hierarchical structures, or should they use incentives that are aligned with the aspirational, peer-based approach to innovation? We partnered with NASA for a qualitative study and a field experiment (N=7,455) to understand the effectiveness of different incentives that may motivate its workforce to participate in crowdsourcing. First, we show that concerns about the legitimacy of peer-based innovation disincentivize employees to participate. Second, we find that managerial recognition, the incentive that is congruent with the established hierarchy, significantly increases engagement. It does so by alleviating legitimacy concerns and by offering managerial attention. Peer recognition, which is congruent with the aspirational, peer-based approach to innovation, is not found to have a significant overall effect. However, workers who are otherwise less visible were positively motivated by it. Our research provides guidance for hierarchical organizations that are seeking greater employee engagement in peer-based innovation, and it adds insights on motivational channels to the literature on organizational innovation.
Telehealth Acceptability for Children, Family, and Adult Hospice Nurses When Integrating the Pediatric Palliative Inpatient Provider during Sequential Rural Home Hospice Visits.

Background: Children in rural geographies are not universally able to access pediatric-trained palliative or hospice providers. Objective: Determine whether telehealth inclusion of a familiar pedia...
Variational-Based Optimal Control of Underactuated Balancing for Dynamic Quadrupeds

This paper presents a control strategy for quadruped balancing that enables postural control in underactuated contact configurations (e.g., when standing on two point feet). Underactuated balancing has received considerable attention with prototype control models such as the cart pendulum or acrobot. Yet, when attempting to transition these solutions to balance in legged robots, technical challenges related to friction-limited contacts and the underlying manifold structure of the configuration space prevent straightforward application. This paper presents a new balance control framework that combines constrained optimal control strategies with recent variational-based linearization approaches to solve the balancing problem for a common simplified quadruped model. The controller is implemented as a convex quadratic program (QP) that uses an unconstrained optimal control solution to approximate a friction-constrained optimal policy. Unlike state-of-the-art QP-based balance controllers, the method is able to handle balance in underactuated regimes. Via comparison to model-predictive control strategies, the proposed formulation is highly compact, requiring less computation, while still showing the ability to handle extreme friction limitations. Simulation and hardware results with the MIT Mini Cheetah demonstrate the capabilities of the controller to exploit body angular momentum for disturbance recovery on two feet, and to recover from cases where the center of mass exits the support polygon. These results and the generality of the formulation suggest exploration for further application to bipeds and humanoids.
Relationships of (Re)imagining: Black Boyhood, the Race-gender Discipline Gap, and Early-childhood Teacher Education

In this essay, I offer relationship-building as central to teaching and learning in early-childhood contexts. With a distinct focus on historically marginalized students in United States education,...
The development of XFELs

X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) have rapidly developed into unique tools for probing diverse systems of interest to different scientific disciplines with angstrom–femtosecond resolution. Claudio Pellegrini provides an overview of the milestones in the development of XFELs and their unique capabilities.
Ultrasensitive Visual Detection of Glucose in Urine Based on the Iodide-Promoted Etching of Gold Bipyramids

Blood glucose monitoring is an essential but painful component of diabetes management, so it is urgent to develop simple, convenient, and noninvasive glucose monitoring methods as alternatives. Because the glucose level in urine is directly related to the blood glucose, urine can be an alternative for blood glucose monitoring. Herein, we report the development of a new and highly sensitive noninvasive colorimetric assay to detect the glucose content in urine samples using gold bipyramids (GBPs). The principle of this method is to utilize hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), the oxidation product of glucose, to etch GBPs, where the urine glucose will be quantified based on the displacement of the absorption peak of GBPs. The unique morphology (sharp tips) and etching mechanism (from tips) of GBPs determine the high sensitivity of this assay. Under optimal conditions, this colorimetric assay shows a dynamic range of 0.5-250 μM and a detection limit of 0.34 μM for artificial urine samples. This detection capability is ideal when sample dilution is necessary. Another advantage is that the color change of the GBP solution in this assay is convenient for the visual readout of the urine glucose semiquantitatively by the naked eye. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated here that the iodide ion has the horseradish peroxidase (HRP) activity and can be used alone to promote the reduction reaction of H2O2, which eliminates the use of HRP enzymes, simplifies the reaction, and reduces costs. The role of iodide ions has been studied and mainly attributed as a catalyst with I2 as the reaction intermediate, which reduced the activation energy for the reduction of H2O2.
HFACS Analysis of U.S. General Aviation Accidents Using Bayesian Network

Safety is one of the most important factors that affects the sustainable development of the aviation industry. With the increasing robustness of technologies, humans have played a progressively mor...
Faculty of Color in Communication Sciences and Disorders: An Overdue Conversation

Purpose Representation of faculty of color (FoC) in the discipline of communication sciences and disorders is limited. FoC face unique challenges within academic institutions. As FoC, we present an...
The Relationship between Neighborhood Deprivation and Perceived Changes for Pain-Related Experiences among U.S. Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objective Disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could disproportionately affect the health of vulnerable populations, including patients experiencing persistent health conditions (i.e., chronic pain), along with populations living within deprived, lower socioeconomic areas. The current cross-sectional study characterized relationships between neighborhood deprivation and perceived changes in pain-related experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic (early-September to mid-October 2020) for adult patients (N = 97) with nonspecific chronic low back pain. Methods We collected self-report perceived experiences from participants enrolled in an ongoing pragmatic randomized trial across medical centers within the Salt Lake City, Utah and Baltimore, Maryland metropolitans. The Area Deprivation Index (composite of 17 U.S. Census deprivation metrics) reflected neighborhood deprivation based on participants' zip codes. Results Although those living in the neighborhoods with greater deprivation endorsed significantly poorer physical (pain severity, pain interference, physical functioning), mental (depression, anxiety), and social health during the pandemic, there were no significant differences for perceived changes in pain-related experiences (pain severity, pain interference, sleep quality) between levels of neighborhood deprivation since the onset of the pandemic. However, those in neighborhoods with greater deprivation endorsed disproportionately worse perceived changes in pain coping, social support, and mood since the pandemic. Conclusions The current findings offer evidence that changes in pain coping during the pandemic may be disproportionately worse for those living in deprived areas. Considering poorer pain coping may contribute to long-term consequences, the current findings suggest the need for further attention and intervention to reduce the negative affect of the pandemic for such vulnerable populations.
High-speed impact of micron-sized diesel drop trains—Splashing dynamics, secondary droplet formation, and effects of pre-existing film thickness

This work investigates surface impingement of monodispersed diesel drop trains using computational simulations. The three-dimensional simulations include high-speed impact of micrometer-sized fuel drops onto initially dry and wetted stainless steel substrates. The drop size and impact velocity are representative of fuel injection conditions in internal combustion engines (ICEs). The drop trains serve as a simplified representation of fuel spray. To accurately capture the film that naturally develops on initially dry substrates, a dynamic diesel-stainless steel contact angle model was developed using experiments of single drop impact under ICE representative temperature. Simulations are presented for a highly splashing case and the effects of a pre-existing film on splashing dynamics were investigated, including the temporal evolution of splashed mass and film thickness. It was concluded that for thin films, the effect of pre-existing film thickness is less significant than in single drop impingement. Secondary droplet characterization was performed on simulation results, leading to instantaneous and time-averaged distributions of secondary droplet size, velocity magnitude, and trajectory angle. It was found that for each drop impingement, approximately 58% of the splashed mass is from the impinging drop itself, while the remainder of the splashed mass is composed of film liquid. From a high resolution case, details of secondary droplet formation are observed and three distinct phases of secondary droplet formation are identified. The detailed analysis of drop train impingement under engine-relevant conditions serves as a first step toward a robust understanding of fuel impingement and the development of cleaner and more efficient ICEs.
Molecular, anatomical, and functional organization of lung interoceptors

Interoceptors, sensory neurons that monitor internal organs and states, are essential for physiological homeostasis and generating internal perceptions. Here we describe a comprehensive transcriptomic atlas of interoceptors of the mouse lung, defining 10 molecular subtypes that differ in developmental origin, myelination, receptive fields, terminal morphologies, and cell contacts. Each subtype expresses a unique but overlapping combination of sensory receptors that detect diverse physiological and pathological stimuli, and each can signal to distinct sets of lung cells including immune cells, forming a local neuroimmune interaction network. Functional interrogation of two mechanosensory subtypes reveals exquisitely-specific homeostatic roles in breathing, one regulating inspiratory time and the other inspiratory flow. The results suggest that lung interoceptors encode diverse and dynamic sensory information rivaling that of canonical exteroceptors, and this information is used to drive myriad local cellular interactions and enable precision control of breathing, while providing only vague perceptions of organ states.
Importance of Financial Management in Professional Life

Financial management is very important for every nation.Financial management provide the path to financial experts.
Improvement in Jumping Performance Due to Preliminary Exercise

Abstract Ten experienced subjects each made 90 or more vertical jumps preceded by isometric stretching exercises, isotonic work (running in place), or a combination (knee bends). Compared with control conditions (no preliminary exercise), performance was improved for each individual and by each of the three exercises. The average gains showed high statistical significance. In a second experiment, 50 young men each made 10 jumps. Psychological control was secured by disguising the purpose of the tests. Warm-up exercises again improved performance to a significant extent. The observed gains averaged 2.9 to 7.8 percent. The Henry jump-testing apparatus gave reproducible results when compared with earlier studies and revealed reliable individual differences in jumping ability (r = .975).
Structure and Function of the TFIID Complex

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the structure and function of transcription factor IID (TFIID) complex and proposes several functions of TFIID in transcription regulation. These roles include promoter recognition, co-activator function, and several enzymatic activities. The purification of TFIID was soon followed by the identification of its subunits. The amino acid sequences of many TATA-binding protein (TBP)-associated factors (TAFs) revealed a high level of conservation. TFIID structure has changed little through evolution, with all species containing at least 13 conserved subunits. A consensus on the nomenclature of TAFs has been developed to avoid confusion and is used throughout the chapter. Structural studies of TBP and TAF sub complexes provided insights into the mechanisms of TFIID function and complex organization. A low resolution structure of the whole TFIID complex has also been obtained using electron microscopy. The complex has a horseshoe shape, consisting of 3–4 lobes connected by flexible regions. It is suggested that the concave face may represent the DNA binding surface and that DNA might be accommodated in the central channel. TBP was mapped to the central lobe, which is also where transcription factor IIA and transcription factor IIB bind. Further determination of individual subunit positions will be essential for the understanding of how TFIID functions as a complex.
Organizing and managing use cases

The UML recommends that software system functionality and interactions be documented through use case narrative descriptions and use case diagrams. The UML, however, provides no structure or framework for organizing a large number of use cases that may be required for complex systems. In this paper, we present various taxonomies of existing use case classification schemes and one additional scheme for classifying and organizing use cases. We then discuss how we can effectively understand categorized use cases in terms of project priority and personnel skills to achieve the best possible allocation of project resources to use case-driven development efforts. The proposed method uses simple sequential questions to determine use case categories to aid analyzers in real-world projects. Our method is moderately simple to understand and implement.
Learn to Ski without Snow or Hill

(1962). Learn to Ski without Snow or Hill. Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation: Vol. 33, No. 1, pp. 33-35.
The Economic Integration of Immigrants and Regional Resilience

This article explores variation in the economic integration of immigrants across U.S. metropolitan areas and tests a basic hypothesis that greater economic integration promotes regional resilience. Here we construct two quantitative indexes of occupational diversity as primary indicators of economic integration and develop a conceptual framework of social, economic, and spatial factors that are likely to shape occupational diversity at the regional scale. We conduct an exploratory quantitative analysis in two steps. First, we model labor market diversity in 2000 with metro level data drawn primarily from the Building Resilient Regions (BRR) database. Next, we use the occupational diversity indexes as dependent variables and assess whether greater occupational diversity among immigrants led to greater economic resilience between 2000 and 2010, as measured by changes in unemployment rate and real wage growth. We find some evidence that immigrants in regions that have more broadly integrated immigrants (across occupations) were relatively more resilient in the face of the economic shocks of the Great Recession.
Summaries from the meeting "International Update on Osteoarthritis of the Knee".

Aware that an orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Adolph Lorenz, was the catalyst for the development of the Baylor Health Care System in 1903, the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery organized a major academic event to be part of Baylor's centennial celebration. The event, “International Update on Osteoarthritis of the Knee,” was held at the Four Seasons Resort in Las Colinas from June 12–14, 2003. The conference addressed one of the most common problems facing our population today, i.e., arthritis of the knee, and the faculty consisted of prominent international figures in the field of knee surgery, augmented by surgeons from Baylor's own staff. The course was widely advertised and attracted more than 150 registrants representing 8 different countries. The faculty did a marvelous job, and feedback after the meeting was that “this was the best knee course ever!” The sessions from the meeting are summarized below.
Regulation and Processing of a Precursor Form of Eosinophil Granule Major Basic Protein (ProMBP) in Differentiating Eosinophils

The cDNA for eosinophil granule major basic protein (MBP) encodes a prepromolecule with a total length of 222 amino acids (preproMBP). PreproMBP includes a secretory leader of 15 amino acids, an acidic propiece of 90 amino acids, and a basic MBP portion of 117 amino acids. The function of the propiece, which has a predicted pI of 3.9, is unknown, but it gives proMBP an overall acidic charge. Because proMBP is not found in mature eosinophils, we analyzed eosinophil differentiation in interleukin-5 (IL-5)-stimulated umbilical cord stem cells cultured for 24 days. By immunofluorescence, proMBP appeared by day 6 and peaked on day 18, whereas MBP was prominent at days 12 to 24. By day 6, Western blots detected heterogeneous glycosylated 33-kD proMBP; its peak expression occurred on day 12. Western blots showed sequential processing of 33-kD proMBP to an 18-kD intermediate form and finally to 14-kD MBP. By dual label immunoelectron microscopy, proMBP was localized primarily to large uncondensed eosinophil granules, whereas MBP was localized to granules containing a condensed central area. Thus, proMBP is likely expressed and processed as the granule condenses in a multistep process to 14-kD MBP in differentiating eosinophils.
Ozone: a tool for probing programmed cell death in plants.

Rapid increases in industrialization and other human activities during the twentieth century have contributed significant amounts of toxic gaseous pollutants to the tropospheric environment that pose a significant threat for the survival and productivity of native and cultivated ecosystems (Krupa and Kickert, 1989). Among various pollutants studied to date, the gaseous air pollutant ozone (O3) has caused more damage to both natural and cultivated crop plants in industrialized nations than any other pollutant (Heagle, 1989; Krupa and Kickert, 1989). O3 is produced both in the troposphere and in the stratosphere. Stratospheric O3 is generated through photolysis of molecular oxygen by ultraviolet solar radiation (Chameides et al, 1994). In the troposphere, O3 is produced by oxygen/ozone equilibrium reactions involving NO2/NO and light (Figure 1, reaction 1). In addition, reactions involving the photo-oxidation of carbon monoxide (Figure 1, reaction 2), unburned hydrocarbons such as methane (Figure 1, reaction 3), formaldehyde and other non-methane organic compounds (Figure 1, reaction 4; Fishman et al, 1985) also contribute to tropospheric O3.
Course redesign to promote local and global experiential learning about human occupation: Description and evaluation of a pilot effort

Introduction: Globalisation heightens the need for diverse learning experiences regarding human occupation. This article describes a two-phase redesign of an undergraduate occupational science course that generated community outings in the United States (U.S.) and synchronous online interactions between U.S. and Swedish students. Via experiential learning opportunities, the course redesign aimed to enhance students’ understanding of occupational science and occupational therapy concepts as well as how such concepts are taken up across global contexts. Method: 96 undergraduate U.S. occupational science students participated in community outings, and 52 of those students also participated in synchronous online interactions with 35 undergraduate Swedish occupational therapy student peers. U.S. students provided feedback about the community outings and synchronous online interactions via written course evaluations and reflections. Results: U.S. students perceived community outings and synchronous online interactions as positive learning opportunities but also suggested possible improvements which have been implemented in subsequent iterations of the course. Conclusions: When accompanied by structured reflective opportunities, local and global experiential learning can positively impact students. It is important to consider how experiential learning fits within course objectives, as well as how technology enables or inhibits experiential learning across local and global contexts. Key words: Experiential learning, learning spaces, synchronous online education, occupational science, occupational therapy. The South African Journal of Occupational Therapy http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2310-3833/2015/v45n1a10
Adaptation of adult brain tissue to anoxia and hypoxia in vitro.

The rat hippocampal slice preparation was used in the present study to demonstrate the ability of adult brain tissue to adapt to anoxic and hypoxic conditions. Adaptation was induced by pre-exposure of hippocampal slices to a short (5 min) anoxic episode. The evoked electrical activity of pre-exposed slices recovered from a subsequent, longer anoxic insult, while that of controls (without pre-exposure), receiving the same insult, did not. The adaptation process is time-dependent; an interval of 0.5 h between the pre-exposure and the subsequent anoxic insult allowed slices to resist anoxic periods of13 ± 2 min while after an interval of 2 h an anoxic period of16 ± 2 min could be tolerated. Evoked electrical activity persisted in adapted slices during exposure to hypoxia while their non-adapted controls exhibited synaptic silence under hypoxic conditions.
Electrochromic Relaxation Studies of a Second-Order Nonlinear Optical Chromophore in Different Polymer Hosts

The dynamics associated with the dipolar orientation of a nonlinear optical chromophore, nitroaminostilbene (NAS), doped in three different polymer hosts, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), and poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) is investigated by an electrochromic relaxation technique. The time dependence of the electronic absorption spectrum perturbed by the electric field is measured. The relaxation of the electric-field-induced orientational order is investigated as a function of temperature and dopant concentration. The relaxation time measured below the glass transition temperature (Tg) shows an Arrhenius dependence, with the activation energy increasing with increasing chromophore concentration. The relaxation times obtained from our electrochromic measurements are compared to the decay times obtained from our second harmonic generation measurements. Measurements with three different polymer hosts below each system's Tg are also carried out. At a given chromophore concentration, the rela...
A prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial of continuous local anesthetic infusion in cosmetic breast augmentation.

Background: Narcotic pain medications are a significant component of most postoperative pain control regimens. Although they are usually effective, they produce several untoward side effects and sometimes provide inadequate analgesia. The continuous infusion of local anesthetic agents (via pain pump) has been used to supplement narcotic analgesics after various surgical procedures. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the pain pump after cosmetic breast augmentation. Methods: Twenty-five women were enrolled in the study; five were eliminated from analysis because of data inadequacy or device problems. After bilateral augmentation, the remaining 20 patients received a 4-day continuous infusion of bupivacaine in one breast pocket and saline in the other. Laterality of bupivacaine infusion was randomized and blinded to both the patient and the surgeon. Patients completed a questionnaire on postoperative days 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7, rating their pain on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 being worst. Results: On postoperative day 1, the mean pain score was 4.7 on the bupivacaine side versus 5.4 on the saline side (p = 0.36). On postoperative days 2, 3, 4, and 7, the mean scores were 4.3 versus 4.6 (p = 0.63), 3.3 versus 3.8 (p = 0.50), 3.4 versus 3.6 (p = 0.78), and 3.4 versus 3.1 (p = 0.63) for the bupivacaine and saline sides, respectively. Conclusions: The pain pump appears to provide breast augmentation patients marginal improvement in pain control, although this advantage did not reach statistical significance in this study. The benefit, if real, also appears to wane over the first postoperative week.
Equation formulation considerations for efficient numerical modeling of semiconductor phenomena

Abstract This paper highlights the importance of equation formulation and associated programming efficiency with respect to modeling of semiconductor phenomena via numerical methods. Two numerical modeling efforts are developed in this paper for one-space dimension device modeling. It is shown on a per iteration basis that the ratio of the computational effort between the two methods is a factor of sixteen. The reduction in the computational effort between the two methods was realized by reformulating the mathematical equations and by reconsidering the effect of programming efficiency. A by-product of the reformulation was a factor of two to three improvement in the convergence rate of the nonlinear iteration. With all considerations, the overall improvement in the solution times for one-space dimension device numerical modeling was determined to be a factor of 30–50. When considering equation formulation alone, the per iteration improvement is a factor of 1·43. Coupled with the two to three convergence rate improvement the overall improvement due to equation formulation was approximately 3·67.
Information transfer between an academic research center and its member firms

Many American universities have recently established research centers that interact with industrial firms. Such centers have been supported by the federal government whose objective is to enhance technological innovation. For this study, interviews were conducted with liaison persons from the member firms to determine how the firms acquire and use information obtained from the center and why they maintain a relationship with the center. The findings confirm that the center is a useful source of information for the member firms. It clarifies the need for establishing strategies that facilitate the transfer of information without compromising either the center or its members.
Case-Study Investigation of Equine Maternity via PCR-RFLP: A Biochemistry Laboratory Experiment

A simple and robust biochemistry laboratory experiment is described that uses restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products to verify the identity of a potentially valuable horse. During the first laboratory period, students purify DNA from equine samples and amplify two loci of mitochondrial DNA. During the second laboratory period, students digest PCR products with restriction enzymes and analyze the fragment sizes through agarose gel electrophoresis. An optional step of validating DNA extracts through real-time PCR can expand the experiment to three weeks. This experiment, which has an engaging and versatile scenario, provides students with exposure to key principles and techniques of molecular biology, bioinformatics, and evolution in a forensic context.
THE COFFIN-SIRIS (CS) SYNDROME

In 1970, a distinct pattern of malformation involving severe mental retardation, a characteristic facial appearance, sparse scalp hair with eyebrow and eyelash hypertrichosis, and absent fifth fingernails was described in 3 unrelated girls. Only 2 additional cases have been reported, suggesting that the syndrome is rare. All reported cases have been sporadic events and no mode of inheritance or etiologic factor has been determined. We have evaluated 5 additional individuals with the CS syndrome. Two of our cases were siblings, a boy, whom we examined, and his deceased sister who, by photographs, clearly had the disorder. Neither of the unrelated parents had any manifestation of the syndrome, suggesting that the CS syndrome is inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion. A compilation of all the known cases permits a further delineation of the full spectrum of the syndrome and of the frequency of certain features. Mental retardation, nail hypoplasia and hypotonia occurred in all reported cases. The craniofacial features are very consistent: scalp alopecia (87.5%), microcephaly (80%), eyebrow and eyelash hypertrichosis (70%), snd prominent lips (80%). A short philtrum, not previously mentioned as a facial feature, occurred in 50% of the cases. Other clinical features include postnatal growth deficiency (90%), scoliosis (40%) and congenital heart disease (30%). In view of our series of new cases the extreme rarity of the CS syndrome may be overemphasized. It is quite feasible that this syndrome is often confused with the fetal hydantoin and the Cornelia de Lange syndromes.
Facilitated oscillatory release—a dynamic method of neuromuscular and ligamentous/articular assessment and treatment

Abstract Facilitated oscillatory release is a method and conceptual lens for applying oscillatory force in an osteopathic treatment sequence to normalize muscle tone and articular balance. Not a free standing modality, it has been mostly integrated into the focal treatment style popular with American osteopaths, as an adjunct to high velocity low amplitude (HVLA), muscle energy (MET) or connective tissue release techniques. The concepts can complement many types of bodywork. On review of the scientific literature, it is speculated that rhythmic peripheral afferent input can enable the resetting of normal postural muscle tone. The associated neurophysiologic theory and research may help further validate osteopathic diagnosis and treatment on a wider scale.
Family‐Centered Nursing Care of the Perinatally Infected Mother and Child Living with HIV Infection

ISSUES AND PURPOSE. The cohort of children with perinatally transmitted human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is now entering young adulthood. One issue for nurses caring for this group living with a treatable chronic illness is the need to provide services that both prevent mother-to-child transmission and support antiretroviral (ARV) treatment. Using a case composite, this article describes the care of the perinatally HIV-infected woman and her child with HIV infection. CONCLUSION. A multigenerational family-centered nursing approach to HIV care both facilitated a mother accepting care and treatment for herself and her child and improved the adherence of the family to their individual ARV treatment regimens. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS. Care of the family with multigenerational perinatally transmitted HIV infection requires that nurses build on their expertise in chronic illness, expand their interventions, and remain flexible.
Criterion-related validity of measuring sight-word acquisition with curriculum-based assessment

Curriculum-Based Assessment for Instructional Design (CBA-ID) provides data used to ensure an appropriately challenging learning task. One aspect of appropriate challenge measured by CBA-ID, called the acquisition rate (AR), involves the amount of new information a student could acquire and retain during initial learning. Previous research suggested adequate reliability, consistency with theory, expected developmental changes, and instructional utility, but the correlation between CBA-ID data and criterion variables has not been examined. Criterion-related validity coefficients could be an important source of data with which validity of CBA-ID data can be evaluated. The current study examined the criterion-related validity of assessing ARs with CBA-ID by correlating acquisition rates with scores from the Test of Memory and Learning (TOMAL) for 25 students in third and fourth grade. Corrected coefficients were equal to or exceeded .70 for two of the three TOMAL indices and equaled .59 for the third. Thus, ...
The Role of Actomyosin Contractility During Early Avian Gastrulation

Actin-myosin contraction has been shown to play a major role in early morphogenetic movements in Drosophila (fly) and Xenopus (frog) [1,2]. However, the specific role of actomyosin contractility in amniote embryos (reptiles, birds, and mammals) during primitive streak (PS) formation, the “organizing center” for gastrulation (formation of three primary germ layers), is not known. Current theories regarding primitive streak formation in higher order amniotes center around cell-cell intercalation or chemotactic cell movement [3,4]. We hypothesize that contraction via actin-myosin (AM) filaments is conserved from anamniotes and drives formation of the PS and the associated morphogenetic cell movements.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
True hermaphroditism with XX-XY mosaicism: report of a case.

Summary A 2-year-old phenotypic male was diagnosed as having true hermaphroditism when a left ovary and tube were discovered during routine repair of an inguinal hernia. Peripheral blood leukocytes showed an XX/XY sex chromosome complement.
Effects of competition from young northern hardwoods on red pine seedling growth, nutrient use efficiency, and leaf morphology

Abstract The effects of competition from three northern hardwood tree species on red pine ( Pinus resinosa Ait.) seedlings were examined on two clear-cut sites in western Maine. We examined how planted red pine seedlings altered their nutrient use efficiency and shoot morphology under changing environmental conditions and how these changes related to their ability to tolerate competition. A three-factor experimental design was used to determined the effects of species of competitors and their abundance as well as fertilization on red pine seedling growth, nutrient use efficiency, and leaf morphology. The competitors were striped maple ( Acer pensylvanicum L.), red maple ( Acer rubrum L.), and pin cherry ( Prunus pensylvanica L.) established at two densities (high and zero) with two levels of fertilization (0 and 224 g m −2 of 10-10-10 NPK commercial fertilizer). Nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiencies were calculated as total aboveground biomass divided by total nutrient content. Specific leaf area (cm 2 g −1 ), leaf area ratio (cm 2 g −1 ), and total leaf area (cm 2 ) were measured for all red pine seedlings. Plots were harvested at two time periods, when pine seedlings were 2 years old (1989) and 3 years old (1990). Total biomass, annual production, and leaf area index (m 2 leaf area m −2 ground surface area) were calculated for competitors on each plot. Red pine seedlings had higher specific leaf area, leaf area ratio, and nitrogen use efficiency on competitor plots than on plots free of competition, suggesting a phenotypic response to resource depletion of light and nutrients by competitors. Fertilization decreased growth of red pine seedlings and decreased nitrogen use efficiency. Red pine total leaf area and biomass were lower on the competitor plots. Higher competitor biomass, leaf area index, and nutrient uptake explained the lower growth of red pine seedlings on competition plots. Pin cherry was the most significant competitor eith striped maple being intermediate; red maple had the least effect on pine seedling growth. The results of this study indicate that the growth of red pine seedlings was governed by the availability of resources as influenced by the competitor species, the efficiency of nutrient use, and the ability of red pine to adjust its growth pattern in response to resource availability.