cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanisms of epilepsy progression: current theories and perspectives from neuroplasticity in adulthood and development

Clinical and epidemiological studies have repeatedly demonstrated that a subset of patients with epilepsy have progressive syndromes with increasing seizure frequency and cumulative adverse effects despite optimal anticonvulsant therapy. Recent longitudinal imaging studies and long-term neuropsychological studies have confirmed that a substantial subset of people with epilepsy undergo progressive brain atrophy accompanied by functional declines that worsen with duration of epilepsy. As further evidence of the progressive and adverse effects of inadequately controlled epilepsy, chronic experimental models of epilepsy and the phenomenon of kindling have provided abundant evidence that neural circuits undergo long-term progressive structural and functional alterations in response to seizures. This long-term seizure-induced plasticity in neural circuits appears to be "bidirectional", inducing progressive damage while also inducing resistance to additional damage, as a function of timing or inter-seizure interval. Seizure-induced plasticity has pronounced age-dependence, and influences long-term cognitive consequences of seizures during early life and acquired susceptibility to epilepsy in adulthood. While it is clear from clinical and epidemiological studies that human epilepsy is a heterogeneous disorder and that not all epileptic syndromes are progressive, emerging results from studies of activity-dependent and seizure-induced plasticity and perspectives from "complex systems" analysis are providing new insights into systematic neurobiological processes that are likely to influence the progressive features of epileptic syndromes and patterns of progression in individual patients. The emerging perspective is that phenomena of plasticity and genetic background exert powerful effects in development and adulthood through regulation of activity-dependent structural and functional remodeling of neural circuitry, and that these effects not only influence progression and consequences of seizures, but also offer new opportunities for therapeutic intervention.
Automatic radio planning of GSM cellular networks

Abstract A novel approach for automatic radio planning (ARP) of GSM cellular networks is described. The approach analyzes the radio network-planning process through a framework of combinatorial optimization. The format of the radio planning configuration space, appropriate cost functions, and an underlying algorithm for configuration space search are specified. The search is performed using modified simulated annealing that includes several heuristic rules designed to increase the convergence speed. Computer simulations are used to demonstrate validity of the proposed approach.
Spatially resolving the wind and disk structures around active B-type stars

Long-baseline optical and IR interferometers now routinely resolve the wind and disk-like structures around early-type stars. The typical angular scales resolved by current generation of instruments are well bellow the milli-arcsecond level. These type of observations allow, in some cases for the first time, placing very tight constraints on current theories and models of the circumstellar structures around these type of stars. Specific examples of observations obtained at the Navy Prototype Optical interferometer of the spatially resolved regions around a luminous blue variable star P Cyg and a B-type star with circumstellar disk are presented. The need for connection between interferometric observables and physical parameters predicted by theory and numerical models are emphasized.
Evidence for selective expression of angiotensin II receptors on atretic follicles in the rat ovary: an autoradiographic study.

Ovarian angiotensin II (Ang II) receptors display a cyclical pattern of variation during the rat estrous cycle. Ang II receptors, estimated by the specific binding of the Ang II receptor antagonist [125Iiodo-[Sarllle8] Ang II to ovarian membranes, were lowest at estrus [binding site density (Bmax = 35 ± 2 fmol/mg; binding site affinity (KD) = 2.0 ± 0.2 nM] and highest at diestrus I (Bmax = 59 ± 3 fmol/mg; KD = 1.6 ± 0.1 nM). We have previously shown that Ang II receptors in the rat ovary predominantly exist on the granulosa cell layer of a subpopulation of follicles. Our present studies show that the Ang II receptor-containing follicles in the rat ovary are mainly atretic (-80%) or show signs of early atresia (-15%) during all stages of the estrous cycle. A small number of Ang II receptor-containing follicles were healthy (-5%). In contrast to the Ang II receptor-containing follicles, the FSH receptor-containing follicles were predominantly healthy (<90%). Follicles which contained both Ang II receptors a...
Peeling Back the Onion: Personality, Problem Solving, and Career Decision-Making Style Correlates of Career Indecision:

A model to predict affective and informational antecedents of career indecision was proposed. The model attempted to explicate paths between personality dispositions, appraisal of problem-solving skills, career decision-making styles, and antecedents of career indecision. Both personality and coping constructs were posited to examine the relative contribution of dispositional and perceived skill variables. Using a college student sample, results from a path analysis indicated that the disposition of neuroticism was a powerful predictor of perceived problem-solving skills, a dependent decision- making style, and both affective and informational antecedents of career indecision. The predicted effects of the coping constructs were of a much smaller magnitude. Directions for future research are discussed and several suggestions for career counseling assessment and intervention selection are made.
SIMILARITY, CONSISTENCY, AND DISSOCIATION IN FIGURE DRAWINGS WITH THE NONDOMINANT HAND: PRELIMINARY REPORT.

Figure drawings with the non-dominant hand, used clinically, show value in diagnostic discrimination and analysis of character structure. If task administration is controlled, effects of field vari...
Necrotizing Fasciitis Associated with Pregnancy: a Population-Based Cohort Study.

Introduction Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a rare complication in pregnant women. There have been no population-level data reported to date on its epidemiology, clinical features, resource utilization, and outcomes.
Determination of extracolumn effects in recycle gas chromatography with capillary columns

Extracolumn band broadening in multidimensional systems utilizing flow switching is clearly undesirable. In certain cases, i.e. capillary recycle gas chromatography, the success of an experiment is contingent on the minimization of pre- and post-column dispersion of the peaks. Knowledge of these sources of peak distortion is necessary to optimize the experimental design. A system that extracts statistical parameters from real chromatographic peaks is discussed and used to evaluate band broadening in a capillary recycle experiment.
Polyesters with Built-in Threshold Temperature and Deformation Sensors

The preparation and characterization of blends of polyesters and excimer-forming, photoluminescent 1,4-bis-(α-cyano-styryl)-benzenes, which function as built-in deformation or threshold temperature...
A large-signal blocker robust transimpedance amplifier for coexisting radio receivers in 45nm CMOS

A baseband transimpedance amplifier for coexisting radio receivers is presented. It exploits active feedback to improve out-of-band large-signal attenuation, minimizing in-band distortion due to close-in blockers. A fully-differential prototype of the proposed solution has been designed and implemented in 45nm CMOS. Experimental results show that it can handle linearly single tones of ±10mA, withstanding blocking currents of ±9mA at 50MHz and beyond before reaching P1dB in a 10MHz bandwidth. The fabricated device occupies 0.25mm2, largely MOM finger capacitors, and draws 17mA from a 2.5V supply.
Retention mechanisms of white perch (Morone americana) and striped bass (Morone saxatilis) early-life stages in an estuarine turbidity maximum: an integrative fixed-location and mapping approach

The small-scale distribution and retention mechanisms of white perch (Morone americana) and striped bass (M. saxatilis) early-life stages were investigated in the upper Chesapeake Bay estuarine turbidity maximum (ETM). Physical measurements and biological collections were made at fixed-location stations within the ETM during three research cruises in 1998 and two in 1999. Results were compared with mapping surveys of physical properties and organism distributions above, within, and below the ETM. Physical conditions at the fixed stations differed markedly among cruises and between years due to differences in freshwater flow and wind. In each year, striped bass and white perch larval concentrations were highest in waters of salinity 1–4. Larvae were more abundant in the ETM region in 1998, a high-flow year, suggesting that the ETM provides favorable nursery habitat when low salinity waters and the ETM coincide in high freshwater-flow conditions. In 1998, the earliest pelagic life stages of fish larvae (eggs, yolk-sac larvae) and the copepod Eurytemora affinis, an important prey of feeding larvae, apparently were retained in deep, landward-flowing water within the salt front and ETM region. Statistical analyses indicated that distributions of white perch and striped bass post-yolk-sac larvae were associated with E. affinis distributions and suggested that retention of larval fish could result from tracking prey. Comparing fixed-station and mapping approaches demonstrates the importance of sampling at different spatial scales within the ETM region and suggests that larvae are faced with trade-offs between selecting zones of high retention or high visual-feeding success.
Pineal-independent regulation of photo-nonresponsiveness in the Siberian hamster (Phodopus sungorus).

The pineal hormone melatonin influences circadian rhythms and also mediates reproductive responses to photoperiod. The authors tested whether pinealectomy influences circadian oscillators responsible for induction of nonresponsiveness to short day lengths by preventing normal short-day patterns of circadian entrainment. Adult male Siberian hamsters were pinealectomized or sham operated, maintained in either 18 h light per day (18L) or 15L for 10 weeks, and then tested for responsiveness to 10L. Because pinealectomized hamsters do not show gonadal regression in short day lengths, responsiveness was assessed by measuring phase angle of entrainment and the length of the nightly activity period following transfer to 10L. The incidence of nonresponsiveness was significantly higher in 18L hamsters than in 15L hamsters but was unaffected by pineal status. Fully 88% of 18L hamsters failed to entrain to 10L in the normal short-day manner; the duration of nightly activity remained compressed, and the phase angle of...
The Palisades: An Interdisciplinary Wellness Model in Senior Housing

Purpose The conceptual model and implementation strategies for a university-private housing collaboration in a multilevel housing campus for older adults are described. The faculty and private developers viewed senior housing as an opportunity for people to downsize their space in order to upsize their lives within a community rich with resources to support their developmental needs. Methods A wellness program that includes assessments developed and performed by a multidisciplinary team provides the basis for the development of resources and interventions aimed at upsizing residents' lives. Semi-annual assessments and feedback sessions provide the residents with opportunities to set and revise goals and to work with members of the team to identify resource needs. Results After the first year, the wellness assessment scheduling and protocol were streamlined and recruitment barriers were addressed. The addition of a system for providing feedback to residents about their assessment results enhanced the meaning and value of the process. Implications The Palisades team hopes to assist in promoting similar projects designed to positively impact wellness in older adults.
Histochemical study of estrogenic and antiestrogenic effects of clomiphene citrate on glycogen synthesis by myometrium and luminal epithelium of rat uterus.

Glycogen localization in the myometrium and luminal epithelium of the rat uterus was studied by the periodic acid-leucofuchsin technique after ovariectomized rats had been treated with various regimens of 1.0 μg estradiol dipropionate and 50.0 μg clomiphene citrate. Three regimens were used: (a) one or three dosages of clomiphene, alone or in combination with one or three dosages of estradiol; (b) a single dosage of clomiphene before a single dosage of estradiol; (c) a single dosage of clomiphene after a single dosage of estradiol. The estrogenic effect of clomiphene on the myometrium was less than that of estradiol. Clomiphene suppressed myometrial glycogen accumulation induced by estradiol when administered with estradiol, six hours before the hormone, or as long as 24 hours after estradiol. The luminal epithelium responded differently to estradiol and clomiphene: the number of luminal epithelial cells containing glycogen strikingly increased after clomiphene treatment but not after estradiol treatment. A few scattered cells contained glycogen 24 hours after one dosage of the drug. Forty-eight hours after a single dosage or after three dosages of the drug administered one per day, every luminal epithelial cell contained glycogen. The effect of clomiphene on the luminal epithelium may be either a unique action of the drug or an abnormal response of the tissue, similar to that reported for high doses of estradiol. This effect of clomiphene on the luminal epithelium may possibly be a factor in the drug's ability to block blastocyst implantation in the rat.
Saxagliptin: A New Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 Inhibitor for Type 2 Diabetes

Objective:To review the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety of saxagliptin, a new dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.Data Sources:Searches of PubMed (1966–March 2010) and International Pharmacy Abstracts (1970–March 2010) were conducted using the key words saxagliptin, Onglyza, and BMS-477118. A review of bibliographies of retrieved articles was also performed to identify additional references.Study Selection Ano Data Extraction:All identified studies published in English and involving efficacy and safety of saxagliptin in the treatment of type 2 diabetes were reviewed.Data Synthesis:Saxagliptin is a competitive inhibitor of DPP-4 that stows the degradation of incretin hormones, thereby stimulating insulin secretion, reducing postprandial glucagon, and decreasing glucose levels. Saxagliptin is well absorbed after oral administration and demonstrates a pharmacokinetic profile that is compatible with once-daily dosing. Clinical trials with saxaglip...
Cisternal Rab Proteins Regulate Golgi Apparatus Redistribution in Response to Hypotonic Stress

We show that a physiological role of the extensively studied cisternal Golgi rab protein, rab6, is modulation of Golgi apparatus response to stress. Taking exposure of cells to hypotonic media as the best-known example of mammalian Golgi stress response, we found that hypotonic-induced tubule extension from the Golgi apparatus was sensitive to GDP-rab6a expression. Similarly, we found that Golgi tubulation induced by brefeldin A, a known microtubule-dependent process, was inhibited by GDP-restricted rab6a, rab6a′, and rab33b, the most commonly studied cisternal rab proteins. These GDP-rab levels were sufficient to inhibit rab-induced redistribution of Golgi glycosyltransferases into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), also a microtubule-dependent process, and to depress Golgi membrane association of the GTP-conformer of rab6. Nocodazole-induced Golgi scattering, a microtubule-independent process, also was inhibited by GDP-rab6a expression. In comparison, we found similar GDP-rab expression levels had little inhibitory effect on another microtubule-independent process, constitutive recycling of Golgi resident proteins to the ER. We conclude that Golgi cisternal rabs, and in particular rab6a, are regulators of the Golgi response to stress and presumably the molecular targets of stress-activated signaling pathway(s). Moreover, we conclude that rab6a can regulate select microtubule-independent processes as well as microtubule-dependent processes.
Geoelectrical evidence of bicontinuum transport in groundwater

Bicontinuum models and rate-limited mass transfer (RLMT) explain complex transport behavior (e.g., long tailing and rebound) in heterogeneous geologic media, but experimental verification is problematic because geochemical samples represent the mobile component of the pore space. Here, we present geophysical evidence of RLMT at the field scale during an aquifer-storage and recovery experiment in a fractured limestone aquifer in Charleston, South Carolina. We observe a hysteretic relation between measurements of pore-fluid conductivity and bulk electrical conductivity; this hysteresis contradicts advective-dispersive transport and the standard petrophysical model relating porefluid and bulk conductivity, but can be explained by considering bicontinuum transport models that include first-order RLMT. Using a simple numerical model, we demonstrate that geoelectrical measurements are sensitive to bicontinuum transport and RLMT parameters, which are otherwise difficult to infer from direct, hydrologic measurements.
Mass Spectrometric Immunoassay for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the cytokine Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF)

The cytokine MIF (Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor) has diverse physiological roles and is present at elevated concentrations in numerous disease states. However, its molecular heterogeneity has not been previously investigated in biological samples. Mass Spectrometric Immunoassay (MSIA) may help elucidate MIF post-translational modifications existing in vivo and provide additional clarity regarding its relationship to diverse pathologies. In this work, we have developed and validated a fully quantitative MSIA assay for MIF, and used it in the discovery and quantification of different proteoforms of MIF in serum samples, including cysteinylated and glycated MIF. The MSIA assay had a linear range of 1.56-50 ng/mL, and exhibited good precision, linearity, and recovery characteristics. The new assay was applied to a small cohort of human serum samples, and benchmarked against an MIF ELISA assay. The quantitative MIF MSIA assay provides a sensitive, precise and high throughput method to delineate and quantify MIF proteoforms in biological samples.
The virtual sphere: The internet as a public sphere

The internet and its surrounding technologies hold the promise of reviving the public sphere; however, several aspects of these new technologies simultaneously curtail and augment that potential. First, the data storage and retrieval capabilities of internet-based technologies infuse political discussion with information otherwise unavailable. At the same time, information access inequalities and new media literacy compromise the representativeness of the virtual sphere. Second, internet-based technologies enable discussion between people on far sides of the globe, but also frequently fragmentize political discourse. Third, given the patterns of global capitalism, it is possible that internet-based technologies will adapt themselves to the current political culture, rather than create a new one. The internet and related technologies have created a new public space for politically oriented conversation; whether this public space transcends to a public sphere is not up to the technology itself.
AN AMENABLE ASCENDING UNION OF NON-AMENABLE SEMIGROUPS

We construct an example of a right amenable semigroup which is the ascending union of semigroups, none of which are right amenable.
Preventing diabetes complications: are we too glucocentric?

The prevention of macrovascular complications is a major goal of diabetes management. Control of hypertension and hyperlipidemia is a well supported means for preventing macrovascular events in people with and without diabetes. Data from large trials have questioned the macrovascular benefits of aggressive glucose control. Nevertheless, diabetes management has become increasingly focused on achieving tight glycemic control. New research highlights the growing concern that this 'glucocentric' approach may be coming at the eaqaense of controlling other cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Clinicians may need to reprioritise their efforts in diabetes management to better reflect the current evidence base.
Prey selectivity in Euseius tularensis (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Differences in responsiveness to potential prey and pollen were tested in the facultative predator,Euseius tularensis Congdon. Following isolation without food for 16 h, adult female mites were observed with one of the following potential foods: pollen ofMalephora crocea (Jacquin) Schwantes,Scirtothrips citri (Moulton) 2nd instar larvae,Tetranychus pacificus McGregor nymphs and ♂,Panonychus citri (McGregor) nymphs and ♂,E. hibisci (Chant) larvae, andE. tularensis larvae. Responses were compared using the proportion of encounters that resulted in consumption. This proportion was highest when pollen was encountered, followed byS. citri andT. pacificus. Consumption was much lower in response toP. citri and congeneric larvae. WhenS. citri larvae were encountered a 2nd time, 1 to 2 h after the initial capture and consumption, responsiveness increased to a level equal to the response observed with pollen. These results suggest thatE. tularensis is a more effective biological control agent of citrus thrips (S. citri) than of citrus red mite (P. citri).
Identification of a novel latency-specific splice donor signal within the herpes simplex virus type 1 2.0-kilobase latency-associated transcript (LAT): translation inhibition of LAT open reading frames by the intron within the 2.0-kilobase LAT.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 establishes latent infection in trigeminal ganglia of mice infected via the eye. A family of three colinear viral transcripts (LATs), 2.0, 1.5, and 1.45 kb, is present in latently infected ganglia. To characterize these LATs, lambda gt10 cDNA libraries were constructed with RNAs isolated from the trigeminal ganglia of latently infected mice. A series of recombinant bacteriophage were isolated containing cDNA inserts covering 1.7 kb of the 2.0-kb LAT. Splice junctions of the smaller LATs and the 3' end of the 2.0-kb LAT were identified by sequence analysis of RNA polymerase chain reaction products. No splice acceptor site, which does not support the hypotheses that the 2.0-kb LAT is an intron. However, the data are consistent with the possibility of a short leader sequence or multiple LAT transcription start sites. To generate the smaller 1.5- and 1.45-kb LATs, there is a 559-nucleotide intron spliced from the 2.0-kb LAT in strain F and a 556-nucleotide intron in strain 17+. The nucleotide sequences at the 5' and 3' ends of these introns are characteristic of spliced transcripts from eukaryotic protein-encoding genes, with one significant difference; i.e., the 5' end of the LAT intron is GC instead of the consensus sequence GT. This splice donor sequence is conserved in herpes simplex virus type 1 strains F, 17+, and KOS. Processing of the 2.0-kb LAT to form the spliced LATs preserves two open reading frames (ORFs) at the 3' end of the LATs; no new ORFs are created. Splicing of the LATs positions a 276-nucleotide leader sequence close to these ORFs and removes an intron that inhibits their translation in vitro. The novel 5' structure of the intron within the 2.0-kb LAT may be part of a control mechanism for transcription processing that results in splicing of the LATs only in sensory neurons during latent infection and reactivation but not during the viral replication cycle.
Reusing debugging knowledge via trace-based bug search

Some bugs, among the millions that exist, are similar to each other. One bug-fixing tactic is to search for similar bugs that have been reported and resolved in the past. A fix for a similar bug can help a developer understand a bug, or even directly fix it. Studying bugs with similar symptoms, programmers may determine how to detect or resolve them. To speed debugging, we advocate the systematic capture and reuse of debugging knowledge, much of which is currently wasted. The core challenge here is how to search for similar bugs. To tackle this problem, we exploit semantic bug information in the form of execution traces, which precisely capture bug semantics. This paper introduces novel tool and language support for semantically querying and analyzing bugs. We describe OSCILLOSCOPE, an Eclipse plugin, that uses a bug trace to exhaustively search its database for similar bugs and return their bug reports. OSCILLOSCOPE displays the traces of the bugs it returns against the trace of the target bug, so a developer can visually examine the quality of the matches. OSCILLOSCOPE rests on our bug query language (BQL), a flexible query language over traces. To realize OSCILLOSCOPE, we developed an open infrastructure that consists of a trace collection engine, BQL, a Hadoop-based query engine for BQL, a trace-indexed bug database, as well as a web-based frontend. OSCILLOSCOPE records and uploads bug traces to its infrastructure; it does so automatically when a JUnit test fails. We evaluated OSCILLOSCOPE on bugs collected from popular open-source projects. We show that OSCILLOSCOPE accurately and efficiently finds similar bugs, some of which could have been immediately used to fix open bugs.
Historical Perspectives: Neonatology: The Long View

This month’s contribution to our series of Historical Perspectives is a slight departure from our standard format. Instead of focusing on a seminal paper or important topic in the development of neonatology, Robert Usher, MD, provides a personal view of the evolution of neonatology during the past half century or so. Dr Usher is one of the true pioneers in North American neonatology who has made an enormous contribution to neonatal/perinatal medicine, not only in Quebec, but also in many other parts of the world (recognized by his receipt of the Apgar Award in the year 2000). His contributions are diverse, but, as noted in the following section, started with his evaluation of the metabolic component of the respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). As a pediatric resident, I learned about the “Usher regime” for managing neonates who had RDS using continuous intravenous glucose and bicarbonate supplementation. A visiting professor agreed that Dr Usher’s results were impressive, but expressed the opinion that it might be the selfless devotion of Dr Usher to his patients rather than the regime itself that produced these good results. Almost certainly, it was a combination of the two. As a fellow in neonatology, my research centered on the role of placental transfusion and its effect on circulating blood volume and hematocrit. This was an area previously studied by Dr Usher both with Professor John Lind at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm (1)(2) and on his return to Montreal. (3) The role of placental transfusion in preventing RDS was being postulated at that time, and Dr Usher and colleagues later provided support for this hypothesis. (4) I made another connection with Dr Usher’s work when I later became intrigued with observations he made with Kenneth Scott on bone development in term infants born with intrauterine …
Laser Therapies: Cyclodestructive Procedures

Cyclodestructive procedures are usually reserved for cases of glaucoma that are refractory to medical therapy and outflow surgeries and in eyes that have little or no visual potential. Cyclodestruction has been carried out by various methods including surgical excision, diathermy, ultrasound, cryotherapy, and laser. Laser cyclophotocoagulation (CPC) has now become the principle method for surgically reducing aqueous inflow. The delivery of laser energy through the sclera may be performed by either the noncontact or contact method. In the noncontact approach, a slit lamp is employed to apply laser energy through the conjunctival/scleral surface. A contact lens is often applied to keep the eyelids open and blanch the conjunctiva. The focus of energy delivery is 1–1.5 mm behind the limbus and is offset from the aiming beam so that maximal therapeutic effect is at the level of the ciliary body. The potential benefits of the noncontact over the contact approach may include a more precise focus of laser energy on the ciliary body. More recently, contact CPC has gained favor as a preferred method for treating refractory cases of glaucoma.
Rapid Atomic Li Surface Diffusion and Intercalation on Graphite: A Surface Science Study

The diffusion of dilute metallic lithium across the surface and into the bulk of atomically clean highly oriented pyrolytic graphite in ultrahigh vacuum is reported. Auger electron spectroscopy and a surface-dependent chemical reaction were utilized to monitor the coverage, oxidation state, and diffusion of Li. A very small diffusion activation energy (0.16 ± 0.02 eV; 15.4 ± 1.8 kJ/mol) is found for Li surface diffusion across the graphite basal plane. A model involving diffusion-rate-limited Li atom transport across the basal plane of graphite through step edge sites into the interior is proposed. These measurements indicate that the diffusion coefficient, D, for Li is very large (D(300 K) ≈ 5 × 10–6 cm2 s–1).
Humility in Health Care

Humility, properly understood as a sense of one's limits, is one of the goods internal to the practice of health care. Humility in Christian tradition has both a relational aspect and an epistemological aspect. Each of these is evident in the practice of medicine. In its relational aspect, humility includes reverence or awe for the grace and strength of patients and their care-givers, a sense that the care-provider is not self-sufficient but needs the care-receiver, and recognition of the worth of those who are oppressed and outcast. In its epistemological aspect, humility is exhibited in respect for the meaning system of the patient and recognition of the limits of medical paradigms and their need for correction from the patient's perspective. The power wielded by the profession of medicine in contemporary society does not preclude the exercise of humility within the profession.
Three New Genera of Neotropical Iassinae (Homoptera: Cicadellidae)

Three new genera of leafhoppers, subfamily Iassinae, are described: Garlica from Panama, Gehundra from Peru, and Jivena from Peru. One new species of Garlica, G. hepneri (=type species); 3 new species of Gehundra, G. tricosa (=type species), G. avulsa, G. galbina; and 2 new species of Jivena, J. ambita (=type species), J. knighti are also described.
Characterization of Hydrodynamic Ram Cavity Dynamics to Transient Spray

Hydrodynamic ram, or HRAM, poses significant safety hazards to commercial and military aircraft. HRAM can increase the probability of fire to aircraft via the resulting transient spray after a high speed projectile has entered into a closed fluid filled container. Therefore, understanding the correlation between HRAM cavity dynamics to the resulting transient spray associated with fire initiations within the aircraft dry bay is needed. Research has determined a strong relationship between the cavity closure and the resulting transient spray. Additionally, the cavity volumetric inflection point is indicative of cavity closure. This research will investigate the underlying physical mechanisms driving the HRAM cavity closure utilizing a systematic energy balance approach. Ultimately utilization of the energy balance provides a foundation for predicting HRAM cavity dynamics and the resulting transient spray.
Academic and Career Advancement for Black Male Athletes at NCAA Division I Institutions

This chapter examines the structural arrangements and challenges many Black male athletes encounter as a result of their use of sport for upward social mobility. Recommendations to enhance their preparation and advancement are provided.
Gold Nanorods Indirectly Promote Migration of Metastatic Human Breast Cancer Cells in Three-Dimensional Cultures

Gold nanomaterials are intensively studied for applications in disease detection, diagnosis and therapeutics, and this has motivated considerable research to determine their interaction with biomolecules, cells and cell behaviors. However, few studies look at how nanomaterials alter the extracellular matrix (ECM) and cell-ECM interactions. Nanomaterials in the body would interact with the entire cellular environment, and it is imperative to account for this when studying the impact of nanomaterials on living systems. Furthermore, recent evidence finds that migration rates of cells in 2D can be affected by nanomaterials, and uptake of the nanomaterials is not necessary to exert an effect. In this study, three-dimensional nested type I collagen matrices were utilized as a model ECM to study how gold nanorods affect the migration of MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. Spontaneous cell migration through collagen containing gold nanorods was found to increase with increasing concentrations of gold nanorods, independent of intracellular uptake of the nanorods. Gold nanorods in the collagen matrix were found to alter collagen mechanical properties and structure, molecular diffusion, cellular adhesion, cell morphology, mode of migration and protease expression. Correlation between decreased cellular adhesion and rounded cell morphology and locomotion in nanorod-containing collagen suggests the induction of an amoeboid-like migratory phenotype.
Mothering and anxiety: Social support and competence as mitigating factors for first-time mothers.

This study investigated anxiety as a phenomenon distinct from depression and evaluated several variables that influence anxiety in first-time mothers. This explored the relationship between maternal sense of competence (both of mothering and efficacy) and perceived social support (from family, friends, and significant others) and first-time mothers' postpartum anxiety, when depression, socioeconomic status (SES), and marital status were controlled for. The population studied were 86 first-time mothers made up of women with children 24 months or younger in two populations of Kentucky and Michigan. The constructs of maternal sense of competence and perceived social support were found to be significant in explaining first-time mothers' anxiety. The study concluded that a combined association of perceived social support and maternal sense of competence were associated with a 34% (change in R-squared = .339) decrease of a first-time mothers' anxiety. However, not all types of social support, or maternal competence appeared to be equally important with regards to maternal anxiety: social support from friends and family and maternal sense of competence in regard to productivity appeared to be most significant. Lastly, some recommendations for health practitioners who work with mothers are provided.
Egyptian, Greek, and Roman Magic Tales

One of the world’s most ancient recorded stories tells of a sailor shipwrecked on a distant island. Just as he gives thanks for his deliverance, a monstrously large, gold-skinned serpent with blue eyebrows approaches. The serpent asks who brought him to these shores, which the sailor, prostrating himself, answers by telling of the wreck and his survival. In a sympathetic response, the serpent recounts his own sad history and promises the sailor rich gifts, a prosperous future, and death and burial in his homeland (Lichtheim, 1973: 1: 211–15; Simpson, 1972: 50–61).
Members of the Cyr61/CTGF/NOV Protein Family: Emerging Players in Hepatic Progenitor Cell Activation and Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Hepatic stem/progenitor cells (HPC) reside quiescently in normal biliary trees and are activated in the form of ductular reactions during severe liver damage when the replicative ability of hepatocytes is inhibited. HPC niches are full of profibrotic stimuli favoring scarring and hepatocarcinogenesis. The Cyr61/CTGF/NOV (CCN) protein family consists of six members, CCN1/CYR61, CCN2/CTGF, CCN3/NOV, CCN4/WISP1, CCN5/WISP2, and CCN6/WISP3, which function as extracellular signaling modulators to mediate cell-matrix interaction during angiogenesis, wound healing, fibrosis, and tumorigenesis. This study investigated expression patterns of CCN proteins in HPC and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Mouse HPC were induced by the biliary toxin 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC). Differential expression patterns of CCN proteins were found in HPC from DDC damaged mice and in human CCA tumors. In addition, we utilized reporter mice that carried Ccn2/Ctgf promoter driven GFP and detected strong Ccn2/Ctgf expression in epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM)+ HPC under normal conditions and in DDC-induced liver damage. Abundant CCN2/CTGF protein was also found in cytokeratin 19 (CK19)+ human HPC that were surrounded by α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA)+ myofibroblast cells in intrahepatic CCA tumors. These results suggest that CCN proteins, particularly CCN2/CTGF, function in HPC activation and CCA development.
Evaluation of gene expression cassettes and production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) with a fine modulated monomer composition by using it in Cupriavidus necator

Cupriavidus necator has attracted much attention as a platform for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and other useful materials. Therefore, an appropriate modulation of gene expression is needed for producing the desired materials effectively. However, there is insufficient information on the genetic engineering techniques required for this in C. necator. We found that the disruption of a potential ribosome binding site (RBS) in the phaC1 gene in C. necator caused a small decrease in the PhaC1 expression level. We applied this result to finely regulate the expression of other genes. Several gene expression cassettes were constructed by combining three Escherichia coli derived promoters (PlacUV5, Ptrc and Ptrp) to the potential RBS of phaC1 or its disruptant, respectively. Their expression levels were then determined via a lacZ reporter assay in C. necator strains. The promoter strengths were both ranked similarly for the cells that were cultured with fructose or palm kernel oil as a sole carbon source (Ptrc ≥ PlacUV5 > Ptrp), both of which were much stronger than the phaC1 promoter. The disruption of RBS had minute attenuation effect on the expression level of these expression cassettes with E. coli promoters. Furthermore, they were used to finely regulate the (R)-3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) monomer ratio in the production of poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate] (PHBHHx) via R-specific enoyl-CoA hydratases (PhaJs). The 3HHx composition in PHBHHx is crucial because it defines the thermal and mechanical properties of the resulting plastic material. The C. necator mutant strains, whose PhaJ expression was controlled under the gene expression cassettes, could be used to produce PHBHHx with various 3HHx compositions in the same culture conditions. We constructed and evaluated several gene expression cassettes consisting of promoters and RBSs that finely regulate transcription and translation. These were then applied to finely modulate the monomer composition in the production of PHBHHx by recombinant C. necator.
Pulmonary edema formation after myocardial infarction and coronary reperfusion: intravascular and extravascular pulmonary fluid volumes. IV

Two studies were performed to assess the importance of coronary reperfusion on pulmonary capillary endothelial permeability in 34 anesthetized dogs. The response of intravascular pulmonary blood volume (PBV) and extravascular lung water (EVLW) was examined using indicator-dilution and postmortem (wet weight/dry weight) techniques. In the first study, six dogs served as sham controls, seven were occluded (LAD) for 45 min, and seven occluded for 45 min and reperfused for 15 min. While PBV was similar in each group, EVLW was greater in the reperfused than nonreperfused dogs (9.5 +/- 0.7 cc/kg vs 8.1 +/- 0.8 cc/kg; P less than .05), and both occluded groups were greater (P less than .01) than the control animals (7.0 +/- 1.0 cc/kg). Similar trends in postmortem wet weight/dry weight data were observed when compared with the in vivo EVLW data. In a second study of 14 open-chest dogs, an LAD ligation was held for 45 min in 14 dogs. In seven dogs, reperfusion was allowed for 15 min. A left atrial (LA) balloon was then inflated in all 14 dogs, increasing left atrial pressure to 25 mmHg in each dog for 90 min. Once again, PBV was similar in both groups, but EVLW was greater at the matched level of LA pressure elevation (14.6 +/- 3.2 cc/kg nonreperfused vs 18.7 +/- 4.1 cc/kg reperfused dogs; P less than .01). Again, postmortem data confirmed these data. Thus, we conclude coronary occlusion accelerates EVLW formation independent of LA pressure. Edema formation is worsened by coronary reperfusion, suggesting that the washout of myocardial toxins from the ischemic myocardium alters endothelial permeability.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Analytical performance criteria. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Technology Verification Program--an overview.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program in 1995 to verify the performance of innovative environmental technologies that ca...
Are managers paid for better levels of pension funding

Abstract Despite the evidence that full funding of defined benefit pension obligations is value maximizing, managerial price and volatility sensitivities (deltas and vegas) do not appear to influence funded status for all except the CFOs of plan sponsors with weak credit ratings (Anantharaman and Lee, 2014). Whether realized total compensation (as opposed to changes in the value of securities held) encourages full funding is an open question. Here we examine the empirical relation between realized managerial compensation and the extent to which plan liabilities are funded, and find that CEO pay bears a significant relation with funded status.
Sexual Assault and the Military Petri Dish

The military is held to a higher standard in preventing sexual assault and in victim care, but it also has the resources and autonomy to institute change in depth. Its centralized control, remoteness from its parent culture, and ability to act quickly combine with the fact that the public often regards it as a medium of social experimentation to make it a natural leader in promoting fairness. It is comparatively free from political manipulation and trends, yet it has commonalities with civilian universities and other populations. Recent allegations are attention the military may not want, but it is in a position, through the confluence of forces and its identity and resources, to solve a problem for itself and wider society.
Performance Analysis for Mechanical Draft Cooling Tower

Industrial processes use mechanical draft cooling towers (MDCT’s) to dissipate waste heat by transferring heat from water to air via evaporative cooling, which causes air humidification. The Savannah River Site (SRS) has cross-flow and counter-current MDCT’s consisting of four independent compartments called cells. Each cell has its own fan to help maximize heat transfer between ambient air and circulated water. The primary objective of the work is to simulate the cooling tower performance for the counter-current cooling tower and to conduct a parametric study under different fan speeds and ambient air conditions. The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) developed a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model and performed the benchmarking analysis against the integral measurement results to accomplish the objective. The model uses three-dimensional steady-state momentum, continuity equations, air-vapor species balance equation, and two-equation turbulence as the basic governing equations. It was assumed that vapor phase is always transported by the continuous air phase with no slip velocity. In this case, water droplet component was considered as discrete phase for the interfacial heat and mass transfer via Lagrangian approach. Thus, the air-vapor mixture model with discrete water droplet phase is used for the analysis. A series of parametric calculations was performed to investigate the impact of wind speeds and ambient conditions on the thermal performance of the cooling tower when fans were operating and when they were turned off. The model was also benchmarked against the literature data and the SRS integral test results for key parameters such as air temperature and humidity at the tower exit and water temperature for given ambient conditions. Detailed results will be published here.© 2009 ASME
Short- and Long-Term Control of Tyrosine Hydroxylase Activity in Nigrostriatal Dopamine Neurons: Multiple Neural Mechanisms

Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity in the nigrostriatal dopamine (DA) system can be modified by both short-term and long-term pharmacologic treatment. The short-term alteration in the affinity of TH for pteridine cofactor which follows acute DA receptor blockade was characteristic of TH in striatal DA terminals but not in nigral cell bodies and dendrites. This short-term activation of striatal TH was reversed by activation of either GABA receptors or opiate receptors in substantia nigra (SN). Long-term alterations of TH activity include 1) a decrease in the amount of immunotitratable enzyme in both striatum and SN after several days of continuous apomorphine treatment and 2) an increase in striatal TH activity after several days of continuous cocaine treatment. The apomorphine-induced change was shown to depend upon DA receptors whereas cocaine did not require DA receptor stimulation for its effect on TH.
Quasinormal Modes and the Hawking-Unruh Effect in Quantum Hall Systems: Lessons from Black Hole Phenomena

In this work, we propose the quantum Hall system as a platform for exploring black hole phenomena. By exhibiting deep rooted commonalities between the lowest Landau level and spacetime symmetries, we show that features of both quantum Hall and gravitational systems can be elegantly captured by a simple quantum mechanical model: the inverted harmonic oscillator. Through this correspondence, we argue that radiation phenomena in gravitational situations, such as presented by W. G. Unruh and S. Hawking, bear a parallel with saddle-potential scattering of quantum Hall quasiparticles. We also find that scattering by the quantum Hall saddle potential can mimic the signature quasinormal modes in black holes, such as theoretically demonstrated through Gaussian scattering off a Schwarzschild black hole by C. V. Vishveshwara. We propose a realistic quantum Hall point contact setup for probing these temporally decaying modes in quasiparticle tunneling, offering a new mesoscopic parallel for black hole ringdown.