cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Central precocious puberty and growth hormone deficiency in a boy with Prader-Willi syndrome

In Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) hypothalamic dysfunction is the cause of hormonal disturbances, such as growth hormone deficiency (GHD), hypogonadism, and delayed or incomplete puberty. Only a few cases of central precocious puberty (CPP) have been reported. We describe an 8.8-year-old PWS boy, with microdeletion of chromosome 15q, who developed CPP. On admission, height was 131.1 cm (+0.17 SD), BMI 26.2 kg/m(2), pubic hair (Ph) 2, and testis 4.5 ml. We found increased growth velocity (7 cm/year), high testosterone levels, pubertal response to GnRH test, and advanced bone age (10.6 years). An evaluation of growth hormone (GH) secretion revealed a deficiency. Pituitary MRI was normal. LHRH analogue therapy (Leuproreline 3.75 mg/28 days i.m.) was started at 8.9 years and discontinued at 11.3 years, when the patient had bone age of 13 years. During therapy, growth velocity, testosterone, FSH, and LH peak decreased significantly, with no pubertal progression. Growth hormone therapy (0.24 mg/kg/week) was started at 9.5 years and discontinued at 15.3 years because the patient had bone age of 17 years. After interrupting LHRH therapy the patient demonstrated spontaneous pubertal progression with pubertal gonadotropin and testosterone. At 16.3 years, height was 170 cm (-0.48 SDS), BMI 36.3 kg/m(2), Ph 4, testis volume 10 ml and there was a combined hypothalamic and peripheral hypogonadism hormonal pattern (normal LH even with low testosterone and undetectable inhibin B with high FSH). To our knowledge this is the fourth male patient with genetically-confirmed PWS demonstrating CPP and GHD and the first with a long follow-up to young adulthood.
Licensing Board Complaints: Minimizing the Impact on the Psychologist's Defense and Clinical Practice

Most psychologists who face board complaints experience significant personal and professional distress. As a result, they become vulnerable to cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses that may compromise their clinical work as well as their ability to defend themselves. Awareness of some of the most common sources of distress associated with complaints can allow psychologists to take steps to minimize, if not obviate, problematic countertransference, impaired objectivity, and self-defeating responses throughout and beyond the complaint investigation and adjudication process. Further, awareness of these pitfalls can inform the work of the supervisors, consultants, and psychotherapists who assist psychologists facing ethics complaints.
Assessment and management of fungating wounds.

A fungating wound is a malignant lesion that infiltrates the skin and its supporting blood and lymph vessels. They tend to develop in the last few months of a patient's life, and often impair psychosocial well-being. Fungating wounds present unique challenges for WOC nursing management, including prevention or management of bleeding and control of exudate and odor. Our knowledge of the epidemiology, etiology, assessment, and management of these lesions is limited. This article provides an overview of the epidemiology of fungating wounds, their assessment and options for management, focusing on local wound management, control of associated symptoms, and psychosocial support for patient and family.
Identification and Molecular Characterization of m3 Muscarinic Receptor Dimers

Several studies suggest, but do not prove directly, that muscarinic receptors may be able to form dimeric or oligomeric arrays. To address this issue in a more direct fashion, we designed a series of biochemical experiments using a modified version of the rat m3 muscarinic receptor (referred to as m3′) as a model system. When membrane lysates prepared from m3′ receptor-expressing COS-7 cells were subjected to Western blot analysis under non-reducing conditions, several immunoreactive species were observed corresponding in size to putative receptor monomers, dimers, and oligomers. However, under reducing conditions, the monomeric receptor species represented the only detectable immunoreactive protein, consistent with the presence of disulfide-linked m3 receptor complexes. Similar results were obtained when native m3 muscarinic receptors present in rat brain membranes were analyzed. Control experiments carried out in the presence of high concentrations of the SH group alkylating agent,N-ethylmaleimide, suggested that disulfide bond formation did not occur artifactually during the preparation of cell lysates. The formation of m3′ receptor dimers/multimers was confirmed in coimmunoprecipitation studies using differentially epitope-tagged m3′ receptor constructs. In addition, these studies showed that m3′ receptors were also able to form non-covalently associated receptor dimers and that m3′ receptor dimer formation was receptor subtype-specific. Immunological studies also demonstrated that m3′ receptor dimers/multimers were abundantly expressed on the cell surface. Site-directed mutagenesis studies indicated that two conserved extracellular Cys residues (Cys-140 and Cys-220) play key roles in the formation of disulfide-linked m3′ receptor dimers. These results provide the first direct evidence for the existence of muscarinic receptor dimers and highlight the specificity and molecular diversity of G protein-coupled receptor dimerization/oligomerization.
DUSKY DOLPHINS INFLUENCE PREY ACCESSIBILITY FOR SEABIRDS IN ADMIRALTY BAY, NEW ZEALAND

Although seabirds frequently aggregate with feeding delphinids, the benefits to seabirds of feeding with dolphins have been rarely reported. We examined how dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) influenced prey accessibility for seabirds in Admiralty Bay, New Zealand. Interactions of dusky dolphins and seabirds were characterized during 335 feeding bouts of dusky dolphins (52 video-recorded underwater). Dolphins increased prey accessibility for seabirds because they swam under the bottom half of prey balls for 59% of passes that were within 2 m of the prey ball. During feeding bouts by dolphins, 51% of prey balls ascended, whereas only 13% descended. Dolphins also influenced prey mobility; only 24% of stationary feeding bouts became mobile after dolphins began feeding, and 17% subsequently became stationary again. Significantly more Australasian gannets (Morus serrator) were near mobile than stationary prey balls after feeding, but not during feeding bouts. This suggests that feeding gannets increase mobility of prey balls, but that feeding dolphins counteract this effect. Seabirds also used dusky dolphins to locate prey. Numbers of gannets, shearwaters (Puffinus), and gulls (Larus) increased during the first 2 min of dolphin feeding, even when other seabirds were not present. Gannets fed with dolphins for 40% of gannet feeding observations and shearwaters fed with dolphins for 24% of shearwater feeding observations.
Advantages of Diuretics

Our recent Veterans Administration Cooperative Study—involving 683 hypertensive male patients—showed that a diuretic was more effective than a beta blocker in controlling hypertension in most respects. In addition, in this study we failed to find evidence that thiazide-induced hypokalemia was associated with increased evidence of cardiac arrhythmias in patients without overt heart disease. We are concerned that the current desire to avoid hypokalemia at all costs may result in the prescription of ineffective dosages of diuretics for the treatment of hypertension.
Novel mechanisms of tube-size regulation revealed by the Drosophila trachea

The size of various tubes within tubular organs such as the lung, vascular system and kidney must be finely tuned for the optimal delivery of gases, nutrients, waste and cells within the entire organism. Aberrant tube sizes lead to devastating human illnesses, such as polycystic kidney disease, fibrocystic breast disease, pancreatic cystic neoplasm and thyroid nodules. However, the underlying mechanisms that are responsible for tube-size regulation have yet to be fully understood. Therefore, no effective treatments are available for disorders caused by tube-size defects. Recently, the Drosophila tracheal system has emerged as an excellent in vivo model to explore the fundamental mechanisms of tube-size regulation. Here, we discuss the role of the apical luminal matrix, cell polarity and signaling pathways in regulating tube size in Drosophila trachea. Previous studies of the Drosophila tracheal system have provided general insights into epithelial tube morphogenesis. Mechanisms that regulate tube size in Drosophila trachea could be well conserved in mammalian tubular organs. This knowledge should greatly aid our understanding of tubular organogenesis in vertebrates and potentially lead to new avenues for the treatment of human disease caused by tube-size defects.
Solar flare prediction needed

“From veils of haze now comes the gleam, Here to a tender scarf it tapers, Here gushes forth a vivid stream; Then threads of light in a network surging Their silver veins through valleys run, Till, gathered by the hills converging, The sundered filaments are one.”
A longitudinal analysis of the risk factors for diabetes and coronary heart disease in the Framingham Offspring Study.

The recent trends in sedentary life-styles and weight gain are likely to contribute to chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. The temporal sequence and pathways underlying these conditions can be modeled using the knowledge from the biomedical and social sciences. The Framingham Offspring Study in the U.S. collected information on 5124 subjects at baseline, and 8, 12, 16, and 20 years after the baseline. Dynamic random effects models were estimated for the subjects' weight, LDL and HDL cholesterol, and blood pressure using 4 time observations. Logistic and probit models were estimated for the probability of diabetes and coronary heart disease (CHD) events. The subjects' age, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and cigarettes smoked were important predictors of the risk factors. Moreover, weight and height were found to differentially affect the probabilities of diabetes and CHD events; body weight was positively associated with the risk of diabetes while taller individuals had lower risk of CHD events. The results showed the importance of joint modeling of body weight, LDL and HDL cholesterol, and blood pressure that are risk factors for diabetes and CHD events. Lower body weight and LDL concentrations and higher HDL levels achieved via physical exercise are likely to reduce diabetes and CHD events.
Chronic Alternate Day Fasting Results in Reduced Diastolic Compliance and Diminished Systolic Reserve in Rats

Abstract Background Based on animal experiments and limited data from the few human trials, alternate-day fasting (ADF) resulted in weight loss, prolonged life, reduced metabolic risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, and reduced prevalence of age-related diseases. The present study is the first comprehensive examination of the long-term effects of ADF on general cardiovascular fitness in rats. Methods and Results Four-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were started on ADF or continued on ad libitum diets and followed for 6 months with serial echocardiography. A comprehensive hemodynamic evaluation including a combined dobutamine–volume stress test was performed at the end of the study, and hearts were harvested for histological assessment. The 6-month-long ADF diet resulted in a 9% reduction ( P P Conclusion Chronic ADF in rats results in development of diastolic dysfunction with diminished cardiac reserve. ADF is a novel and unique experimental model of diet-induced diastolic dysfunction. The deleterious effect of ADF in rats suggests that additional studies of ADF effects on cardiovascular functions in humans are warranted.
Depletion of the histone chaperone tNASP inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in prostate cancer PC-3 cells

Background NASP (Nuclear Autoantigenic Sperm Protein) is a histone chaperone that is present in all dividing cells. NASP has two splice variants: tNASP and sNASP. Only cancer, germ, transformed, and embryonic cells have a high level of expression of the tNASP splice variant. We examined the consequences of tNASP depletion for prostate cancer PC-3 cells.
Appearance of pulsed infrared light: second harmonic generation in the eye.

In certain conditions, when the human eye is irradiated by pulsed IR laser light, the observer sees the light as yellow or green. This could be due to second harmonic generation by the cornea, the lens, the retina, or two-photon absorption by the photopigments. It is shown that the most likely cause of this phenomenon is second harmonic generation at the cornea.
SEX HORMONES IN THE SONG WREN: VARIATION WITH TIME OF YEAR, MOLT, GONADOTROPIN RELEASING HORMONE, AND SOCIAL CHALLENGE

Abstract Little is known about the role that hormones play in controlling the life cycles and behaviors of resident, tropical-forest passerines. In this study, we document levels of the sex hormones dihydroepiandosterone (DHEA), estradiol, luteinizing hormone (LH), progesterone, and testosterone in male and female Song Wrens (Cyphorhinus phaeocephalus) during the breeding season. In males, we found no significant seasonal changes in sex hormones and no effect of molt or experimental social challenge on hormone levels. The lack of population-level variation in sex hormone levels throughout the reproductive season highlights the asynchronous nature of reproduction in this species. Stimulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis through injection of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) did not affect sex steroid levels in males but did cause a significant increase in LH levels. Low basal testosterone levels in males and the failure of males to respond to GnRH or social challenge with an increase in te...
Japanese multinationals in Asia: Drivers and attractors

Abstract This paper studies the choice by Japanese multinationals of Asia and of specific Asian countries as investment destinations. High costs in Japan exert a general push towards investing in Asia. Unlike investment in the US and Europe, trade barriers do not drive Asian investment. While domestic markets of host countries are important, conditions for efficient production in the host country also determine its attractiveness. In Asia, firms have looked for industrially literate workers, though the new Japanese investment is being guided more by low wages. Japanese investors also stake out early positions in growing markets. The inability to repatriate earnings is the strongest disincentive to Japanese investment. A favourable foreign direct investment policy is desirable but its importance declines as a firm gains experience in a country.
IMMIGRATION POLICY, CULTURAL PLURALISM AND TRADE: EVIDENCE FROM THE WHITE AUSTRALIA POLICY

. Examining data for Australia and 101 trading partners that span the years 1989–2000, we find immigrants from nations afforded preference under the White Australia policy exert greater proportional influences on Australian imports from their home countries compared to immigrants from nations not privy to such preference. Immigrants from this latter group of countries influence Australian exports to their home countries proportionally more than do immigrants from the former group. We also find immigrant-trade links vary across disaggregated measures of trade. The results suggest that cultural diversity, affected here by immigration policy, is relevant to a nation's trade patterns.
A comparative study of handheld and non-handheld traffic in campus Wi-Fi networks

Handheld devices such as smartphones have become a major platform for accessing Internet services. The small, mobile nature of these devices results in a unique mix of network usage. Other studies have used Wi-Fi and 3G wireless traces to analyze session, mobility, and performance characteristics for handheld devices.We complement these studies through our unique study of the differences in the content and flow characteristics of handheld versus non-handheld traffic. We analyze packet traces from two separate campus wireless networks, with 3 days of traffic for 32, 278 unique devices. Trends for handhelds include low UDP usage, high volumes of HTTP traffic, and a greater proportion of video traffic. Our observations can inform network management and mobile system design.
Singular eigenfunctions for the three-dimensional radiative transport equation

Case's method obtains solutions to the radiative transport equation as superpositions of elementary solutions when the specific intensity depends on one spatial variable. In this paper, we find elementary solutions when the specific intensity depends on three spatial variables in three-dimensional space. By using the reference frame whose z axis lies in the direction of the wave vector, the angular part of each elementary solution becomes the singular eigenfunction for the one-dimensional radiative transport equation. Thus, Case's method is generalized.
Trench motion, slab geometry and viscous stresses in subduction systems

SUMMARY A semi-analytic, 3-D model for subduction within a Newtonian viscous upper mantle provides a dynamically consistent means of computing viscous stress, trench motion and slab geometry in subduction systems. Although negative slab buoyancy provides the basic driving force for subduction, slabs that extend from the surface to the base of the upper mantle are oversupported by viscous stresses in the shallow (<100‐150 km) mantle and undersupported by viscous stresses at greater depth in the upper mantle. These deeper parts of the subduction system act as an ‘engine’ for subduction while shallower parts act as a ‘brake’ on trench motion; trench migration rates and slab geometry reflect a competition between these two effects. During steady-state subduction, trench migration rates vary approximately linearly with slab buoyancy and model rates of trench motion are in good agreement with the range of observed rates for a two layer upper mantle viscosity of ∼2 × 10 20 Pa s above 300 km and ∼5 × 10 20 Pa s below. Steady-state slab dip increases as slab density decreases, especially for very low-density slabs, which dip significantly more steeply than high-density slabs. The horizontal velocity at the top of the lower mantle, measured relative to the foreland, has a very large effect on trench migration rates, rivalling or even exceeding that of slab buoyancy. Slab width, parallel to the trench, also has a significant effect on trench migration rates due to the viscous pressure of toroidal flow around the slab. The stiffness of the subducting lithosphere does not exert a significant effect on trench migration rates or slab geometries for rigidities compatible with oceanic lithosphere. Very stiff slabs, with elastic plate thicknesses more that ∼40 km or viscosities in the range of 10 25 ‐10 26 Pa s, subduct significantly more slowly than weak slabs, with trench migration rates in the range of half to a third that of weak slabs. Large, unexpected effects on trench migration rates and slab geometry are exerted by the structure and density of the frontal prism and overriding plate, indicating that local geology can exert important constraints on slab dynamics. During non-steady-state subduction, rates of trench migration respond rapidly as variably buoyant lithosphere penetrates into the asthenosphere. In the absence of other driving forces for convergence, trench migration rates can change by a factor of two or more in as little as 2‐3 Myr, for example, from 35 to 70 mm yr −1 when an oceanic piece of slab follows a continental one into the subduction system. Subduction of variable-buoyancy lithosphere is accompanied by changes in slab dip with depth and through time.
Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole-Induced Tremor in a Patient with AIDS

OBJECTIVE:To report a case of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX)-induced tremor responsive to a reduction in dosage.CASE SUMMARY:A 55-year-old white man with AIDS and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) developed a tremor after receiving 5 days of therapy with TMP/SMX 19.4 mg/kg/d (TMP). The tremor resolved completely 3 days after a dosage reduction to TMP/SMX 15.1 mg/kg/d.DISCUSSION:Central nervous system adverse reactions to TMP/SMX have been reported in both the AIDS and non-AIDS populations. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of TMP/SMX-induced tremor responsive to a reduction in dosage. Pharmacokinetic and clinical data suggest a concentration-dependent etiology for various adverse effects, including tremor. The mechanism of the tremor is unknown; however, toxic metabolites of SMX and disruptions of biogenic amine neurotransmission by TMP have been hypothesized.CONCLUSIONS:TMP/SMX remains the drug of first choice for treating PCP, but it is clearly not well tolerated by patients ...
Response time analysis of EQL real-time rule-based systems

Real-time rule-based expert systems are embedded decision systems that must respond to changes in the environments within stringent timing constraints. Given a program p, the response time analysis problem is to determine the response time of p. This problem consists of: determining whether or not the execution of p always terminates in bounded time; and computing the maximal execution time of p. The Equational Logic (EQL) language is a simple language designed for real-time applications. It has been proved by A.K. Mok (1989) that the response time analysis problem is undecidable if the program variables have infinite domains, and is PSPACE-hard in the case where all of the variables have finite domains. However, we have observed that the use of a simple syntactic and semantic check on programs coupled with other techniques such as state space graph checks can dramatically reduce the time needed in the analysis. There are sets of syntactic and semantic constraint assertions such that if the set S of rules satisfies any of them, then the execution of S always terminates in bounded time. Each of these sets of syntactic and semantic constraint assertions is called a Special Form. The focus of the paper is on proving the existence of two Special Forms and determining tight response time upper bounds of EQL rule-based programs. For each known Special Form, an algorithm used to calculate the maximal response time of programs satisfying this Special Form is presented. Additionally, to enhance the applicability of the proposed algorithms, we show how the General Analysis Algorithm can be used with these algorithms. >
The Coevolution of "Tyrannosaurus" & Its Prey: Could "Tyrannosaurus" Chase down & Kill a "Triceratops" for Lunch?.

Students will analyze the coevolution of the predator–prey relationships between Tyrannosaurus rex and its prey species using analyses of animal speeds from fossilized trackways, prey-animal armaments, adaptive behaviors, bite marks on prey-animal fossils, predator–prey ratios, and scavenger competition. The students will be asked to decide whether T. rex was a predator, an opportunistic scavenger, or an obligate scavenger.
Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma with multisystem involvement.

A 59-year-old healthy white female was admitted with complaints of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and progressive weakness. She complained of numbness in the rectal area, perineum, buttocks and lateral...
Effect of perceived usefulness, ease of use, security and privacy on customer attitude and adaptation in the context of E-Banking

This study proposes a conceptual framework to investigate the effects of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, security and privacy on customer adaptation mediated through customer attitude in the context of e-banking. Structural equation modeling techniques have been applied to data collected from 227 customers of private commercial banks in Bangladesh. Primarily this study aims to test theoretical models to measure the causality whether perceived usefulness, ease of use, security and privacy, and customer attitude actually foster customer adaptation. The initial results of the study indicate that these factors are significantly and positively related to customer adaptation.
Benin Groundnut Producers’ Perceptions, Awareness and Action about Aflatoxin

ABSTRACT Aflatoxin (AF) contamination of groundnut poses a serious health and economic threat to Benin market participants. However, most farmers are unaware of the problem. A study of 182 farmers ...
Intracellular regulation of protein degradation during sepsis is different in fast- and slow-twitch muscle

We tested the hypothesis that the difference in the response to sepsis of protein breakdown between fast- and slow-twitch skeletal muscle reflects differential activation of the energy-ubiquitin-dependent proteolytic pathway. In addition, we defined the time course and the tissue specificity of sepsis-induced changes in the expression of the ubiquitin pathway. Sepsis was induced in rats by cecal ligation and puncture; control rats were sham operated. Energy-dependent protein breakdown was measured in incubated extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus muscles. Ubiquitin mRNA levels were determined by Northern blot analysis. Sepsis resulted in increased energy-dependent protein breakdown and upregulated expression of ubiquitin mRNA in the fast-twitch EDL but not in the slow-twitch soleus muscle. The sepsis-induced increase in ubiquitin mRNA levels in the EDL muscle was noticeable before the increase in energy-dependent protein breakdown. Sepsis increased ubiquitin mRNA levels in the diaphragm (a mixed fiber-type muscle) but not in heart, liver, kidney, or intestine, consistent with a tissue-specific regulation of the ubiquitin system during sepsis. The results suggest that the difference in protein breakdown during sepsis between fast- and slow-twitch muscles reflects differential activation of the energy-ubiquitin-dependent proteolytic pathway. The data also suggest that the expression of the ubiquitin pathway is upregulated in a time-dependent fashion during sepsis and that this response is not a generalized phenomenon but is tissue specific.
TAXONOMIC INTERPRETATIONS OF DISCONTINUITIES IN FLOWER SIZE

Summary Large differences in the sizes of floral parts producing discontinuities between different individuals or between different populations of the same or closely related taxa require different taxonomic interpretations. Autopolyploidy may produce such discontinuities as in Thelypodiopsis linearifolia (Gray) Al-Shehbaz of southern Arizona, but the single individual with large flowers cannot be considered to be another taxon. A different situation was found in populations differing from Pennellia longifolia by a large jump in the size of floral parts. In this case, there were populations of plants which were not polyploid with respect to P. longifolia and the large size differences were consistent throughout the populations. These populations are recognized as a new species which is named in honor of Dr. Rogers McVaugh who first collected it in the Sierra Madre Occidental of Durango, Mexico. Quantitative variation within a given taxon at the species level or below is usually of a continuous type. In fact, one of the frequent tests as to whether a taxon is solidly characterized and properly interpreted is how it measures up as to continuous quantitative variation as opposed to sharply discontinuous differences. Such a test is possible when abundant material is available and measurement data can be assembled. However, the taxonomist is quite often faced with the necessity of handling situations where large differences in size of parts and organs occur in different gatherings of plants, but the specimens available for study are few in number. Here, a sensible test for continuity cannot be applied. Then how are the disparate plants to be treated taxonomically. Two cases where large quantitative differences in flower size occur will be dealt with where the taxonomic interpretation is very different. The taxa involved are members of the Cruciferae.
Preface to the Focused Issue on the 22 February 2011 Magnitude 6.2 Christchurch Earthquake

The 22 February 2011 magnitude 6.2 Christchurch earthquake, centered southeast of Christchurch, was part of the aftershock sequence that has been occurring since the September 2010 magnitude 7.1 quake near Darfield, 40 km west of the city. The Christchurch earthquake killed more than 180 people, damaged or destroyed more than 100,000 buildings, and is New Zealand's most deadly disaster since the earthquake that struck the Napier and Hastings area on 3 February 1931. This special focused issue of Seismological Research Letters , which I had the fortune to edit, contains a selected set of 19 original technical papers. These papers cover different aspects of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake from seismological, geodetic, geological, and engineering perspectives. The first eight papers focus on earthquake source modeling, fault stress variation, and aftershock sequence. The paper by Guidotti et al. presents three-dimensional numerical simulations of the Christchurch earthquake by comparing different fault and interface models. Using data from a dense network of strong motion instruments, Holden et al. presents the inversion scheme for constraining the source kinematics of the Christchurch event. The constrained geodetic …
“Toys of desperation” suicide as protest rhetoric

This paper examines the act of protest suicide as a form of rhetoric. Three representative cases of protest suicide, those of Emily Wilding Davison, Terence James MacSwiney, and Norman Morrison/Roger LaPorte, are studied for insight into the following unanswered questions concerning this act. What blend of emotional expression and movement goals motivates the actor? In a free society with other avenues of dissent open, why choose an act as extreme and irrevocable as protest suicide? What is the act's impact on those within and those outside the movement? By viewing protest suicide as a form of “symbolic inducement,” this method of dissent may be seen as a rhetorical act whose motivation, form and impact can be better understood.
The Winding Path Back to School: Hidden Obstacles to Higher Education for Low-Income Single Mothers

This paper explores obstacles to the pursuit of higher education for low-income single mothers in the United States. Findings are based on a three-year qualitative study, including 66 in-depth interviews with 37 low-income single parents who were pursuing educational goals through an anti-poverty program in Boston, Massachusetts. Respondents were questioned about their past and current experiences, goals, motivation, and fears related to post-secondary education. All mothers interviewed believed that getting a college degree would help them to secure employment and move their families out of poverty. Findings revealed institutional and practical obstacles to their pursuit of higher education, including conflicting advice from “experts” and difficulty retaining public benefits while attending school. The primary obstacles that emerged were categorized as follows: (a) winding paths and dead ends, (b) difficult transitions, (c) short-sighted decisions, and (d) inflexible institutions. Also evident among interviewees were misconceptions about the policies and practices of institutions of higher education, such as not predicting the difficulty of transferring credits between schools and lack of understanding about differences between degree programs. These obstacles have yet to be explored in literature about higher education for low-income parents. Policy and practical implications for higher education as a route out of poverty are discussed. http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/HEAd15.2015.317
Comparison of multiple enzyme activatable near infrared fluorescent molecular probes for detection and quantification of inflammation in murine colitis models

BACKGROUND Activatable near-infrared fluorescent (NIRF) probes have been used for ex vivo and in vivo detection of intestinal tumors in animal models. We hypothesized that NIRF probes activatable by cathepsins or metalloproteinases will detect and quantify dextran sulphate sodium (DSS)-induced acute colonic inflammation in wild type mice or chronic colitis in interleukin-10 (IL-10)-null mice ex vivo or in vivo. METHODS Wild type mice given DSS, water controls, and IL-10-null mice with chronic colitis were administered probes by retro-orbital injection. FMT2500 LX system imaged fresh and fixed intestine ex vivo and mice in vivo. Inflammation detected by probes was verified by histology and colitis scoring. NIRF signal intensity was quantified using 2-dimensional region of interest ex vivo or 3-dimensional region of interest analysis in vivo. RESULTS Ex vivo, 7 probes tested yielded significant higher NIRF signals in colon of DSS-treated mice versus controls. A subset of probes was tested in IL-10-null mice and yielded strong ex vivo signals. Ex vivo fluorescence signal with 680 series probes was preserved after formalin fixation. In DSS and IL-10-null models, ex vivo NIRF signal strongly and significantly correlated with colitis scores. In vivo, ProSense680, CatK680FAST, and MMPsense680 yielded significantly higher NIRF signals in DSS-treated mice than controls, but background was high in controls. CONCLUSIONS Both cathepsin or metalloproteinase-activated NIRF probes can detect and quantify colonic inflammation ex vivo. ProSense680 yielded the strongest signals in DSS colitis ex vivo and in vivo, but background remains a problem for in vivo quantification of colitis.
Failed pneumoperitoneum for laparoscopic surgery following autologous Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator (DIEP) flap breast reconstruction: a case report

Laparoscopic abdominal surgery may prove difficult in patients who have undergone previous abdominal procedures. No reports in the medical literature have presented an aborted laparoscopic procedure for failed pneumoperitoneum following autologous flap-based breast reconstruction. A 55-year-old woman presented with recurrent invasive lobular carcinoma of the right breast as well as a history of ductal carcinoma in situ of the left breast. The patient desired to proceed with bilateral skin- and nipple-sparing mastectomies with right axillary lymph node biopsy, followed by immediate bilateral autologous deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap-based breast reconstruction. Preoperatively, a computerized tomography angiogram was obtained for reconstructive preparation, which revealed a left adrenal mass. Ensuing work-up diagnosed a pheochromocytoma. Given the concern for breast cancer progression, the patient elected to proceed first with breast cancer surgery and reconstruction prior to addressing the adrenal tumor. Subsequently, 3 months later the patient was brought to the operating room for a laparoscopic left adrenalectomy for the pheochromocytoma. With complete pharmacologic abdominal relaxation, the abdomen proved too tight to accommodate sufficient pneumoperitoneum and the laparoscopy was aborted. The patient was evaluated in the outpatient setting for assessment of abdominal wall compliance at regular intervals. Five months later, the patient was taken back to the operating room where pneumoperitoneum was established without difficulty and the laparoscopic left adrenalectomy was performed without complications. Pneumoperitoneum for laparoscopic surgery subsequent to autologous DIEP flap-based breast reconstruction may prove difficult as a result of loss of abdominal wall compliance. Prior to performing laparoscopy in such patients, surgeons should consider the details of the patient’s previous reconstructive procedure and assess potential risk factors for difficulty with insufflation. Lastly, careful abdominal examination should be performed to indicate whether laparoscopy for elective procedures should be delayed until abdominal wall compliance normalizes.
Analysis of mercury pollution condition in foods in Changsha in 2011

Objective:To understand the contamination situation of mercury in market selling food in Changsha city.Methods: The samples were collected and pretreated according to national plan of food contaminants monitoring and the mercury content in food was analyzed by hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry according to the national standard methods(GB/T5009.17-2003).Results: Mercury in 132 food samples of 8 kinds were monitored,the results showed that the mean value was 0.004688 mg/kg;detection rate was 44.70%;excessive rate was 0.76%.Conclusion: The contamination level of mercury in food of Changsha was low by comparing to the national standards.The contents of mercury in major dietary components are safe in Changsha district.
SU-F-T-35: Optimization of Bladder and Rectal Doses Using a Multi-Lumen Intracavitary Applicator for Gynecological Brachytherapy

Purpose: Radiation dose delivery for endometrial cancer using HDR techniques is limited by dose to bladder and rectum. A dosimetric study was performed using Varian Capri vaginal brachytherapy applicator to determine the optimal channel configuration which minimizes dose to bladder and rectum, while providing good target coverage. Methods: A total of 17 patients, 63 plans clinically delivered, and 252 simulated plans using Varian BrachyVision planning system were generated to investigate optimal channel configuration which results in minimum dose to bladder and rectum while providing adequate target coverage. The Capri applicator consists of 13 lumens arranged in two concentric rings, one central lumen and six lumens per ring. Manual dose shaping is invariably required to lower the dose to critical organs. Three-dimensional plans were simulated for 4 channel arrangements, all 13 channels, channel 12 o'clock (close to bladder) and 6 o'clock (close to rectum) deactivated, central channel deactivated, and central channel in addition to 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock deactivated. A relationship between V100, the volume that receives the prescribed dose, and the amount of curie-seconds required to deliver it, was established. Results: Using all 13 channels results in maximum dose to bladder and rectum. Deactivating central channel in addition to 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock resulted in minimizing bladder and rectum doses but compromised target coverage. The relationship between V100, the volume that receives the prescribed dose, and the curie seconds was found to be linear. Conclusion: Deactivating channels 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock was shown to be the optimal configuration leading to minimum dose to bladder and rectum without compromising target coverage. The linear relationship between V100 and the curie- seconds can be used as a verification parameter.
Faith and rationality

Faith, according to the Christian scriptures, is “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” So defined, however, doesn't faith look a bit like wishful thinking, or a stubborn refusal to allow one's beliefs to be judged at the tribunal of hard evidence? In short, doesn't this make faith seem like an irrational or, at the very least, non-rational way of acquiring and hanging on to beliefs? Some people are content with the idea that their religious faith is somehow either contrary to reason or not subject to reason. The ancient church father Tertullian is often quoted as saying, “I believe because it is absurd.” The quotation is not accurate; but those who misquote him in this way often approve of the idea themselves. One who thinks this way about religious faith – that is, one who thinks that religious faith is irrational or non-rational and, furthermore, that it is still somehow okay or even a good thing to have religious faith – is called a fideist . Fideism has been taken very seriously by a variety of philosophers and theologians. But a moment's reflection reveals that most of us will not be the least bit comfortable with it. Suppose you arrive at the doctor's office to be treated for a cold, and the doctor tells you she thinks it would be a good idea to remove one of your kidneys.
Sexual Selection and the Evolution of Mating Systems in Mosquitoes

Abstract While Darwin first conceptualized the connection between morphological trait variation across related taxa and mating system evolution nearly 150 years ago, a mechanistic understanding of the relationship between genes, physiology and behaviour across species has only recently become possible through remarkable progress in genetics and molecular biology. With their extensive diversification, ecological variation and burgeoning genomic resources, mosquitoes are an ideal group to identify patterns of trait variation and suggest causal evolutionary mechanisms. Here we discuss the mating systems of Anopheles gambiae and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, vectors of major infectious diseases that afflict humanity. In this review, our emphasis is on interspecific comparisons of traits relevant to mechanisms of pre- and postcopulatory selection, including mating behaviour, molecular pathways of reproduction, postmating physiology and morphological traits. Based on a wealth of recent studies in mosquito genomics and phylogenetics, we provide an evolutionary context to examine adaptive changes in mosquito reproduction, their possible impact on pathogen transmission and their potential consequences for disease control.
Genomic Studies of Treatment Resistance in Major Depressive Disorder

Treatment-resistant depression describes the subset of individuals with major depressive disorder who do not reach symptomatic remission despite multiple adequate treatment trials. While treatment resistance has a substantial impact on functioning, quality of life, and healthcare costs, little is known about the underlying neurobiology. While at least some treatment-resistant depression (TRD) risk is likely to be heritable, based primarily on evidence from antidepressant pharmacogenomics, studies to date have failed to reliably identify rare or common genetic variation associated with this phenotype. Challenges in the study of TRD include misclassification arising from medication intolerance or inadequate treatment trials, the heterogeneity of the concept itself, and most notably the absence of well-characterized cohorts with DNA available for study. New strategies to identify large cohorts from biobanks or disease registries and efforts to meta-analyze multiple cohorts may facilitate the identification of risk variants. In addition, further studies to understand the potential utility of pharmacogenomic testing among individuals with TRD or to stratify risk for TRD are needed.
A Simplex Architecture for Intelligent and Safe Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly demanded in civil, military and research purposes. However, they also possess serious threats to the society because faults in UAVs can lead to physical damage or even loss of life. While increasing their intelligence, for example, adding vision-based sense-and-avoid capability, has a potential to reduce the safety threats, increased software complexity and the need for higher computing performance create additional challenges -- software bugs and transient hardware faults -- that must be addressed to realize intelligent and safe UAV systems. In this paper, we present a fault tolerant system design for UAVs. Our proposal is to use two heterogeneous hardware and software platforms with distinct reliability and performance characteristics: High-Assurance (HA) and High-Performance (HP) platforms. The HA platform focuses on simplicity and verifiability in software and uses a simple and transient fault tolerant processor, while the HP platform focuses on intelligence and functionality in software and uses a complex and highperformance processor. During the normal operation, the HP platform is responsible for controlling the UAV. However, if it fails due to transient hardware faults or software bugs, the HA platform will take over until the HP platform recovers. We have implemented the proposed design on an actual UAV using a low-cost Arduino and a high-performance Tegra TK1 multicore platform. Our case-studies show that our design can improve safety without compromising performance and intelligence of the UAV.
SoS Meta-architecture Assessment by Dual Application of Rule Based Fuzzy Inference Systems☆

Abstract In the early stages of system of systems (SoS) meta-architecture concept development, it is greatly beneficial to have a formal method of architecture assessment to ensure compliance to stakeholder needs and requirements. Key performance attributes (KPAs) and key functional attributes (KFAs) are linguistic terms that represent the non-functional and functional requirements of the architecture. KPAs and KFAs can be assessed and converted into numeric values that can be used as fuzzy inputs to Mamdani-type rule based fuzzy inference systems (MRBFIS) to make fuzzy assessments of SoS meta-architecture concepts. This paper details an application of an assessment model featuring the integration of two separate MRBFISs; each with five inputs, five membership functions (MFs), twenty five If-Then rules, and a single output that is determined by the fuzzy rule base. Each unique MRBFIS used in the assessment was developed using the MATLAB Fuzzy Logic Designer application. The numeric outputs of each MRBFIS were then combined to provide an integrated KPA and KFA total architecture assessment score. The assessment model detailed in this paper provides a formal method of architecture assessment to be used in conjunction with trade space exploration, systems scoping, and the concept generation phase. This assessment model may help prevent costly project failures, system ambiguity late in development, unacceptable risks, cost overrun, and the inability to develop critical systems.
Molecular Considerations for Mesophase Interaction and Alignment of Lyotropic Liquid Crystalline Semiconducting Polymers

Intermolecular interactions in conjugated polymers influence crystallinity, self-assembly, and packing motif, factors which in turn crucially impact charge transport properties such as carrier mobility in organic electronic devices. Correlated alignment of molecular and crystalline morphologies provides direct pathways for charge carriers to follow; however, the role of intermolecular interactions in achieving this is unexplored. Herein, we synthesize a series of lyotropic liquid crystalline conjugated polymers with variable side-chain structure to lend distinct steric repulsion and van der Waals attractive forces to each mesophase. We use this to investigate the role of intermolecular interactions on mesophase alignment. The strength of intermolecular interaction for each mesophase is compared by measuring melting temperature, π-stacking distance, and the Maier–Saupe interaction parameter. In general we find that side-chain structure can impact interaction strength by varying steric repulsion and backbon...
Distinct Influence of Air–Sea Interactions Mediated by Mesoscale Sea Surface Temperature and Surface Current in the Arabian Sea

AbstractDuring the southwest monsoons, the Arabian Sea (AS) develops highly energetic mesoscale variability associated with the Somali Current (SC), Great Whirl (GW), and cold filaments (CF). The resultant high-amplitude anomalies and gradients of sea surface temperature (SST) and surface currents modify the wind stress, triggering the so-called mesoscale coupled feedbacks. This study uses a high-resolution regional coupled model with a novel coupling procedure that separates spatial scales of the air–sea coupling to show that SST and surface currents are coupled to the atmosphere at distinct spatial scales, exerting distinct dynamic influences. The effect of mesoscale SST–wind interaction is manifested most strongly in wind work and Ekman pumping over the GW, primarily affecting the position of GW and the separation latitude of the SC. If this effect is suppressed, enhanced wind work and a weakened Ekman pumping dipole cause the GW to extend northeastward, delaying the SC separation by 1°. Current–wind i...