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Co-use of non-medical opioids (NMO) and methamphetamine is increasing. So too is the use of the psychoactive botanical "kratom," including among people with NMO and methamphetamine use histories. We assessed characteristics associated with respondent groups who reported lifetime methamphetamine and/or kratom use within a nationally representative US sample using 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data from respondents reporting lifetime NMO use (diverted prescription opioids, heroin). Weighted prevalence estimates for demographic, mental health, and substance use outcomes were determined. Logistic regression examined associations between group membership and outcomes. Among this sample of respondents with lifetime NMO use, 67.6% (95% CI = 65.6-69.4%) reported only NMO use; 4.6% (3.9-5.4%) reported NMO+Kratom; 24.7% (22.7-26.7%) reported NMO+Methamphetamine; and 3.2% (2.5-3.9%) reported NMO+Methamphetamine+Kratom. Compared to those in the NMO-only group, the NMO+Kratom group was more likely to report past-year serious mental illness (SMI; OR = 2.27), suicidality (OR = 1.89), and past-month psychological distress (OR = 1.88). The NMO+Methamphetamine+Kratom group was more likely to report past-year SMI (OR = 2.65), past-month psychological distress (OR = 2.06), and unmet mental health needs (OR = 2.03); increased odds for drug injection, opioid withdrawal, and perceived treatment need also emerged. Risk factors were observed for all groups but were greatest among those reporting use of all three substances.

Alchemical free energy perturbation (FEP) theory is widely used nowadays to calculate protein–ligand binding energies, often in support of drug discovery endeavours. We assess the accuracy and sensitivity of absolute FEP binding energies with respect to the CHARMM/CGenFF and the AMBER/GAFF force field parameterisations for a set of tetrahydroquinoline inhibitors of the first bromodomain of BRD4, a target of keen interest for the development of anti-cancer drugs. We find that AMBER/GAFF is better able than CHARMM/CGenFF to cover the range of and to distinguish between the relative binding energies of the 16 ligands.

Why do college students persist with their education, especially when facing challenges? We answer this question by exploring the complexities surrounding college student retention, using the organ...

Offspring of divorce are generally more vulnerable to negative mental health outcomes than counterparts of intact marriages. However, not all cases of divorce are equivalent. The present study aime...

We examined the motor unit action potential amplitude versus recruitment threshold relationship (MUAP(AMP)-RT) as an indicator of MU-specific hypertrophy following high-intensity exercise training in females. Participants were assigned to either a high-intensity exercise (EX, n = 9) or control (CON, n = 18) condition and completed pre- (PRE) and post-testing (POST) during which maximal voluntary isometric leg extension strength (MVIT), vastus lateralis (VL) muscle cross sectional area (mCSA), whole leg skeletal muscle mass (SMM(RL)), and high-density surface EMG (HD-sEMG) signals were recorded from the VL during an isometric ramp contraction at 70% MVIT. The HD-sEMG signals were decomposed and yielded a MUAP(AMP) and an absolute (ABS; Nm) and normalized (NORM; %MVIC) RT for each MU. Individual MUAP(AMP)-RT slopes and intercepts were calculated for each subject. Changes in the pooled MUAP(AMP)-RT relationships for each group were also examined. Finally, relationships among individual changes in slopes of MUAP(AMP)-RT and individual changes in mCSA and SMM(RL) were examined. Training elicited increases in MVIT (+18%), mCSA (+12%), and mean and pooled slopes of MUAP(AMP)-RT(NORM). The individual changes in slopes of both the MUAP(AMP)-RT relationships were moderately to strongly (r = 0.48-0.68) related to changes in mCSA and SMM(RL). Eight-weeks of high-intensity exercise elicited increases in MUAP(AMP)-RT slope in females. Further, the observed change in slope was related to both VL mCSA and SMM of the tested leg. However, changes in slope for the MUAP(AMP)-RT relationship were more subdued when MUAP(AMP) was expressed relative to the absolute versus relative RT.

Background: Persons with substance use disorders (SUDs) who do not recognize their substance use as problematic are less likely to perceive needing treatment and less motivated to seek help. Factors that contribute to problem recognition among persons with SUDs are poorly understood. Objective: To explore in-depth factors that may explain why those who meet diagnostic criteria for SUDs do not perceive having a substance abuse problem. Methods: We recruited 54 participants with recent (i.e., past-5-year) SUD for qualitative interviews. Participants were recruited via online ads and screened for eligibility through an online survey. Interview questions focused on participants' alcohol and drug use behaviors, adverse consequences stemming from their substance use, past treatment use experiences, and barriers/reasons for not using specialty treatment. Interviews were thematically coded to identify prominent themes that may explain low problem recognition. Results: We identified two prominent themes that contributed to problem recognition: modifying substance use behaviors to avoid adverse consequences and stigma (i.e., "othering"). Participants who (1) reported adjusting their alcohol and drug use in ways that would not interfere with important life responsibilities, especially work-responsibilities; (2) described those with alcohol and drug problems negatively; and (3) associated treatment with personal defeat were less likely to perceive having a SUD. Conclusions/Importance: These findings can be used to inform intervention strategies aimed at increasing problem recognition among persons with SUDs. Such strategies may facilitate motivation (i.e., desire for help and treatment readiness) to use and complete treatment, thereby reducing the unmet treatment gap among persons with SUDs.

Over a number of years, universities have needed to become more adept at managing change as internal and external factors affect their longer term financial sustainability. That sustainabil...

Mastermind proteins are required for transcription of Notch target genes, yet the molecular basis for mastermind function remains incompletely understood. Previous work has shown that Notch can induce transcriptional responses by binding to promoters but more often by binding to enhancers, with HES4 and DTX1 as representative mammalian examples of promoter and enhancer responsiveness, respectively. Here, we show that mastermind dependence of the Notch response at these loci is differentially encoded in Jurkat T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) cells. Knockout of Mastermind-like 1 (MAML1) eliminates Notch-responsive activation of both these genes, and reduced target gene expression is accompanied by a decrease in H3K27 acetylation, consistent with the importance of MAML1 for p300 activity. Add-back of MAML1 variants in knockout cells identifies residues 151 to 350 of MAML1 as essential for expression of either Notch-responsive gene. Fusion of the Notch-binding region of MAML1 to the histone acetyltransferase (HAT) domain of p300 rescues expression of HES4 but not DTX1, suggesting that an additional activity of MAML1 is needed for gene induction at a distance. Together, these studies establish the functional importance of the MAML1 region from residues 151 to 350 for Notch-dependent transcriptional induction and reveal differential requirements for MAML1-dependent recruitment activities at different Notch-responsive loci, highlighting the molecular complexity of Notch-stimulated transcription.

Athletes are increasingly exploring ways to enhance their physical performance. Increasing blood flow to the working tissues through endothelium-dependent vasodilation is one factor athletes use to realize these results. Sports supplements such as pre-workouts tout this benefit; however, many have not been tested under laboratory conditions to examine the effects of commonly used supplements on vasodilation. Two popular supplements are Nitrosigine® and citrulline malate (CM). Thus, the purpose of this experiment was to determine the effects of Nitrosigine and CM on vasodilation using ultrasound and flow mediated dilation (FMD). Healthy, normotensive, and physically active male (n = 16) and female (n = 8) young adults participated in the present investigation. We utilized a randomized, double-blind, within-subjects design where participants reported for three trials, each preceded by a 7-day washout period. Baseline FMD measurement was obtained for each visit, followed by consumption of one clinical dose CM (8 g), Nitrosigine (1.5 g), or dextrose placebo (8 g). Following a 60-min digestion period, FMD was repeated. Supplementation order was randomized controlling for potential order effects. Repeated measures ANOVA yielded a significant supplement (3) x time (2) effect (p

Systematic grid-based soil geochemical baseline surveys have been undertaken in the South Island since 2013 at regional scales in Southland, Otago, Buller, Nelson and Marlborough and more detailed ...

Simulations of porous gaseous flows are routinely used to investigate membrane permeation in catalytic adsorption and separation problems. Although basic continuum equations are supposed to breakdo...

This article examines the enrollment patterns of a continuing education institution over 25 years of its history. The institution is an auxiliary unit of a major state university system with the mission of providing postgraduate professional training to nonmatriculated students. Our study illustrates that both the quantity and the quality of academic offerings impact enrollment patterns in a continuing education unit such as the one considered here. Using historical data, we validate this correlation in three disciplines in which courses are offered. In addition to studying the factors influencing enrollments, we reviewed the institution's recent financial performance. For the period of transitioning from financial distress to stability, we document major leadership decisions and offer lessons of best practices to schools in similar situations. This study suggests several management principles that have been shown to be effective in turning around an organization and offers a deeper understanding ...

The aim of the study was to assess the extent to which misoprostol alters mucosal or systemic immune responses following either buccal or vaginal administration.This was a prospective, crossover pilot study of 15 healthy, reproductive-age women. Women first received 800 μg misoprostol either via buccal or vaginal administration and were crossed over 1 month later to receive the drug via the other route. Cervicovaginal lavage samples, cervical Cytobrush samples, cervicovaginal swabs, urine and blood were obtained immediately prior to drug administration and the following day. Parameters assessed included urine and cervicovaginal misoprostol levels, whole blood cytokine responses (by ELISA) to immune stimulation with lipopolysaccharide, peripheral blood and cervical lymphocyte phenotyping by flow cytometry, cervicovaginal antimicrobial peptide measurement by ELISA and vaginal microbial ecology assessment by 16S rRNA sequencing.Neither buccal nor vaginal misoprostol significantly altered local or systemic immune and microbiological parameters.In this pilot study, we did not observe significant alteration of mucosal or systemic immunology or vaginal microbial ecology 1 day after drug administration following either the buccal or vaginal route.

In today’s educational context, characterized by growing inequality and the rise of neoliberal ideology, universities are dealing with pressures to contribute to the global workforce and partner with private interests rather than educating citizens and serving the public good. This article presents youth participatory action research (YPAR) as a practice that can encourage reflection about the complex purposes of higher education and the politics of knowledge production in this moment. The authors explore how 26 university faculty members who engage in YPAR conceptualize the purposes of this practice and consider the role of the university in this work. Findings indicate that YPAR promotes both participation in existing educational structures and transformation of those structures in pursuit of social improvement and offers opportunities to push back against the hardening of neoliberal pressures on universities towards democratic and collaborative research.

This study aimed to develop and validate a measure of emergent reading motivation designed for prekindergarten children, called the Emergent Reading Motivation Scale (ERMS). The development of the ERMS was to overcome the limitation that current existing reading motivation measures are not developmentally appropriate for young children. Fifty-six native-English speaking children who were enrolled in a prekindergarten program participated in the study. The ERMS had 17 items that were drawn from reading self-concept, reading performance goal, and reading learning goal. The scale was administered through two sock puppets. For each item, the puppets represented contrasting behaviors regarding reading motivation. The children were asked to choose the puppet that was most like themselves. Results suggested that the ERMS is an age-appropriate reading motivation measure for prekindergarten children and has a three-factor structure as assumed even though its internal consistency is moderate and is of limited predi...

Zero-valent iron (ZVI) and green rusts can be used as reductants to convert chromium from soluble, highly toxic Cr(VI) to insoluble Cr(III). This study compared the reduction rates of Cr(VI) by ZVI and two carbonate green rust phases in alkaline/hyperalkaline solutions. Batch experiments were carried out with synthetic chromate solutions at pH 7.7-12.3 and a chromite ore processing residue (COPR) leachate (pH approximately 12.2). Green rust removes chromate from high pH solutions (pH 10-12.5) very rapidly (400 s). Chromate reduction rates for both green rust phases were consistently higher than for ZVI throughout the pH range studied; the surface area normalized rate constants were two orders of magnitude higher in the COPR leachate solution at pH 12.2. The performances of both green rusts were unaffected by changes in pH. In contrast, ZVI exhibited a marked decline in reduction rate with increasing pH to become almost ineffective above pH12.

Reviewed by Donna M. Rogers The anonymous fifteenth-century Catalan chivalresque novel Curial e Guelfa tells the story of the noble young widow Guelfa and her not-entirely-appropriate love for her ...

This article explores John Dewey’s Depression-era analysis of ‘liberalism’ in an effort to clarify our own neoliberal moment. As Dewey argues, liberalism is a term used in the 1930s to signify diverse and often contradictory meanings. It variously refers to a minimalist state aimed at unbinding markets (laissez-faire liberalism) or an activist state charged with providing social welfare (what Dewey described as ‘humane liberalism’). Finding limitations in these visions of liberalism, Dewey calls for a ‘radical’ liberalism that would socialise the economy, challenge the corrupting power of privileged elites, and embrace experimentalism and mass participation in social planning and decision-making. The article draws on Dewey’s analysis of different liberalisms to make sense of contemporary political and educational debates that have been profoundly shaped by the growing prominence of neoliberalism in recent decades. It sheds light on why particular educational issues have emerged as central sites of contest...

The challenge facing SerDes (Serialiser De-Serialiser) designers is common with all current communications technologies. Industry advances show a trend to increase speed, reduce power and improve efficiency. In this article a novel line driver that can operate at speeds of up to 40 Gbps with a power supply of 1 V and a power consumption of 4.54 mW/Gb/s is presented. Pre-distortion on the front-end is used to maintain signal integrity.

Purpose: To illustrate the ethical challenges that arose from investigating a novel treatment procedure, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), in a research participant with aphasia. Method: We review the current evidence supporting the use of tDCS in aphasia research, highlighting methodological gaps in our knowledge of tDCS. Then, we examine the case of Mr. C, a person with chronic aphasia who participated in a research protocol investigating the impact of tDCS on aphasia treatment. We describe the procedures that he underwent and the resulting behavioral and neurophysiological outcomes. Finally, we share the steps that were taken to balance beneficence and nonmaleficence and to ensure Mr. C’s autonomy. Results: The objective data show that while Mr. C may not have benefitted from participating in the research, neither did he experience any harm. Conclusion: Researchers must consider not only the scientific integrity of their studies, but also potential ethical issues and consequences ...

The Hutt River estuary near Wellington New Zealand has a luxuriant intertidal band of green macroalgae growing throughout the year. Investigations of water chemistry suggested that the upstream freshwater river was likely P-limited and passed on watershed nitrogen nutrients to the estuary. P fertilisation of the estuary from marine waters led to crossing N and P nutrient loadings that support the observed macroalgal proliferation. Chemical analyses of nutrients, macroalgae, and barnacle and mussel consumers were used to understand further the mix of factors controlling eutrophication and food webs in this urban estuary. δ15N and δ13C were respective helpful indicators of watershed N inputs and C cycling between benthic and pelagic parts of the food web.

Prior research with incarcerated populations and individuals on parole or probation suggests that significant rates of mental health problems and histories of traumatic events exist among these groups. However, limited research has explored mental health treatment-seeking and barriers to accessing mental health care for individuals on parole or probation. The current study assessed mental health symptoms, mental health services use in the past year, and barriers to service access for a sample of individuals on probation and parole (N = 100). The most commonly reported concerns were depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Slightly more than half of the sample reported seeking mental health care in the past year. For those who felt they needed care, but did not seek these services, not having health insurance and not being able to afford treatment were the most commonly cited reasons. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Mouse lung tissue can be prepared in a number of different ways before cryosectioning. The method of choice will depend to a large extent on the particular molecular technique that needs to be used. In this study, various preparation techniques were used, and a comparison was made of the results obtained. The aim was to minimize the need to compromise either the molecular analysis or the anatomic evaluation and provide a simple and reproducible method of preparation that allows optimal results in as many situations as possible. (The J Histotechnol 32(4):186–189, 2009)

Mesoderm specific transcript (Mest), an imprinted gene associated with fat mass expansion under conditions of positive energy balance, shows highly variable expression (approximately 80-fold) in white adipose tissue (WAT) of C57BL/6J (B6) mice fed an obesogenic diet. Since B6 mice are essentially genetically invariant and Mest is known to be regulated by CpG methylation within its immediate proximal promoter, the large variability in its expression in adipose tissue has the hallmarks of being controlled via an epigenetic mechanism. In this study, bisulfite sequencing and allelic discrimination analyses were performed to determine whether variations in CpG methylation within the Mest promoter were associated with its expression. Results showed no relationship between CpG methylation in the Mest promoter and high versus low expression in either WAT or isolated adipocytes; and, experiments using a single nucleotide polymorphism in the Mest promoter region between B6 and Castaneus mice showed the expected pattern for an imprinted gene with all maternal alleles being methylated. These data suggest that mechanisms independent of the CpG methylation status of the Mest promoter must underlie the control of its expression during adipose tissue expansion.

The zonal winds on the surfaces of giant planets vary with latitude. Jupiter and Saturn, for example, have several bands of alternating eastward (prograde) and westward (retrograde) jets relative to the angular velocity of their global magnetic fields. These surface wind profiles are likely manifestations of the variations in depth and latitude of angular velocity deep within the liquid interiors of these planets. Two decades ago it was proposed that this differential rotation could be maintained by vortex stretching of convective fluid columns that span the interiors of these planets from the northern hemisphere surface to the southern hemisphere surface. This now classic mechanism explains the differential rotation seen in laboratory experiments and in computer simulations of, at best, weakly turbulent convection in rotating constant-density fluid spheres. However, these experiments and simulations are poor approximations for the density-stratified strongly-turbulent interiors of giant planets. The long thin global convective columns predicted by the classic geostrophic theory for these planets would likely not develop. Here we propose a much more robust mechanism for maintaining differential rotation in radius based on the local generation of vorticity as rising plumes expand and sinking plumes contract. Our high-resolution two-dimensional computer simulations demonstrate how this mechanism could maintain either prograde or retrograde surface winds in the equatorial region of a giant planet depending on how the density scale height varies with depth., Geophysical and Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics, in press

Transformed by technology, the virtualisation of gambling has prompted administrations around the world to respond swiftly to the challenges posed by the new way of carrying out an age-old practice. However, approaches to regulation differ. Within the USA online gambling is prohibited by the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act 31 U.S.C. 5361-5367 (enacted in the USA in October 2006). This has been played out by the threats of extradition and arrests of senior executives in Texas and ultimately imprisonment for criminal infringements in among other places Las Vegas. By contrast the UK has implemented a regulatory regime through the Gambling Act 2005. The European Community has provided a regime somewhere between the two following recent European Court of Justice decisions (Plancanica 2 CMLR 25) finding against Member States operating state monopolies preventing the establishment of private providers in this specific sphere of commercial activity, contrary to Article 43TEC (right of establishment) and Article 49TEC (the right to provide services, this will of course also have the corollary of the right to receive services). The appropriateness of these responses leads the commentators back towards embryonic Internet governance discussions on cyber-paternalism and cyber-liberalism with online gambling as the case study.

This special edition intends to provide a flavour of the 22nd Annual BILETA Conference held at the University of Hertfordshire and organised by the School of Law. BILETA (British and Irish Law, Edu...

After a considerable gestation period, the Fraud Act 2006 came into force on 15th January 2007. The introduction of general offences is intended to provide scope to ensure that technologically focused crime can be targeted. However, whilst the sentiments behind the new Act are to be welcomed, it is argued that there are a number of deficiencies in the new Act, which could lead to considerable problems. First, although the Act shifts focus away from deception problems (notably that deception of a machine or computer is not legally possible) it moves towards the concept of dishonesty, which is problematic in itself as there already exists a number of criticisms relating to this concept. Second, there are problems with a failure of the Act to provide for specific definitions of key concepts, such as 'fraud', 'false' or 'abuse'. Third, and arguably most importantly, under the new Act the liability-threshold for fraud shifts; fraud is no longer a result crime, but a conduct crime. This has the advantage of the law stepping in at an early stage to prevent further criminality; although at the same time potentially provides a completely new concept of the criminal act of fraud.

The second stage of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Tunisia in November 2005 saw the long-standing debate over who should govern the Internet reach an apparent culmination. The vast majority of parties involved (over 10,000 people from over 170 countries) announced their acquiescence to the final agreement, which allowed ICANN to maintain responsibility for domain name allocation, while introducing a non-binding multi-stakeholder Internet Governance Forum (IGF) to be set up alongside.1 However, this current paper will show that the agreement provides limited assistance to the ongoing discussion and resolution on Internet Governance, and furthermore that unless the key players-particularly the USA-alter their stance, the Internet is in danger of fragmentation and gridlock, which is a genuine possibility unless the governance of the Internet moves to an International level away from exclusive US control. The conclusions made in Tunisia are not fully representative and the perception of US control has not been removed. Until this is revisited and altered, the Internet remains in considerable threat of break-up and potential gridlock.

Multiple physico‐chemical and biological indicators were used to delineate the spatial influence of the Motueka River plume on coastal surface sediments and associated biota in Tasman Bay, New Zealand. Sediments were primarily muds at nearshore sites on all transects and comprised coarser sediments at the most seaward sites in Tasman Bay. Organic carbon/nitrogen ratios, stable carbon and nitrogen isotope signatures, and certain lipid biomarkers and trace metals provided suitable indicators of terrestrial and riverine influence on subtidal sediments. Analysis of these parameters revealed a discernible catchment influence extending at least 6 km offshore in the river outwelling plume, with a pronounced signature evident at two sampling stations within approximately 2km of the Motueka River mouth. At these two nearshore sites, nickel and chromium from natural upper‐catchment sources were present at concentrations greatly exceeding sediment quality thresholds for probable ecological effects. The infa...

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the lived experiences of a primary teacher in order to illuminate the nature of primary teaching. Using qualitative methods, five university researchers spent nine months during the course of one school year with a second grade teacher and her students. This inquiry took a multiple lens approach, drawing from the theoretical frameworks of hermeneutic phenomenology and constructivism (DeVries & Zan, 1994; Kamii, 1985; Piaget, 1932/1965; van Manen, 1997). Individual researchers focused on the existentials of the teacher's lifeworld: body, time, space, relationship with children, and relationship with adults. Four themes emerged: autonomy, pedagogical tact, lifelong learning, and kinship. Implications are drawn for school organization, teacher education, and educational policy.

Electrophilic trisubstituted ethylenes (TSE), halogen ring‐substituted ethyl 2‐cyano‐1‐oxo‐3‐phenyl‐2‐propenylcarbamates, RC6H4CH˭C(CN)CONHCO2C2H5 (where R is 3‐Br, 4‐Br, 3‐Cl, 4‐Cl, 2‐F, 3‐F, and 4‐F) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene (ST). The monomers were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring‐substituted benzaldehydes and N‐cyanoacetylurethane, and characterized by CHN analysis, IR, 1H, and 13C NMR. All the ethylenes were copolymerized with ST (M1) in solution with radical initiation (AIBN) at 70°C. The compositions of the copolymers were calculated from nitrogen analysis and the structures were analyzed by IR, 1H, and 13C NMR. The order of relative reactivity (1/r 1) for the monomers is 2‐F (3.81) > 3‐Cl (1.36) > 4‐Br (1.31) > 3‐Br (1.13) > 4‐F (0.90) > 3‐F (0.63) > 4‐Cl (0.37). Higher T g of the copolymers in comparison with that of polystyrene indicates decrease in chain mobility of the copolymer due to the high dipolar character of the TSE str...

This study examines the intercultural adaptation experience of US expatriates in Singapore, drawing mainly on Kim’s (2001) theory of cross-cultural adaptation and Berry’s (1989, 1994) theory of acculturation. Three key dimensions of Kim’s theory are used to analyse the sojourning experiences of 20 expatriates in Singapore: host social communication, ethnic social communication and environment. A total of 20 US expatriates in Singapore and five Singaporeans were interviewed to reveal partial support of the two theories of study. The emergence of a “white privilege” syndrome explains the distinct departure in the cross-cultural adaptation process of the US expatriates from common assumptions in the adaptation and acculturation theories of Kim (2001) and Berry (1989, 1994).

Cloud water deposition was estimated at three high-elevation sites in the Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States (Whiteface Mountain, NY; Whitetop Mountain, VA; and Clingman's Dome, TN) from 1994 through 1999 as part of the Mountain Acid Deposition Program (MADPro). This paper provides a summary of cloud water chemistry, cloud liquid water content, cloud frequency, estimates of cloud water deposition of sulfur and nitrogen species, and estimates of total deposition of sulfur and nitrogen at these sites. Other cloud studies in the Appalachians and their comparison to MADPro are also summarized. Whiteface Mountain exhibited the lowest mean and median concentrations of sulfur and nitrogen ions in cloud water, while Clingman's Dome exhibited the highest mean and median concentrations. This geographic gradient is partly an effect of the different meteorological conditions experienced at northern versus southern sites in addition to the difference in pollution content of air masses reaching the sites. All sites measured seasonal cloud water deposition rates of SO4(2-) greater than 50 kg/ha and NO3(-) rates of greater than 25 kg/ha. These high-elevation sites experienced additional deposition loading of SO4(2-) and NO3(-) on the order of 6-20 times greater compared with lower elevation Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNet) sites. Approximately 80-90% of this extra loading is from cloud deposition.

Empowerment is the process through which individuals perceive that they control situations. Such perceived agency is a fundamental behavior change, which often leads to many other behavior changes. The present chapter synthesizes research on empowerment and communication in the developing nations of Latin American, Africa, and Asia. Several investigations into the empowerment of underdogs in society are examined, including (a) women dairy farmers in India, (b) women members of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh, (c) community-based radio listening groups in the villages of Lutsaan and Abirpur in India, and (d) people living with AIDS in Thailand. Essentially, the process of empowerment occurs in small groups at the local level when individuals organize for social change in order to accomplish goals that they cannot achieve as separate individuals. By exploring the relationship between individual and collective empowerment, we seek to draw a series of lessons learned about the empowerment process and apply the...

In today's scientific and regulatory climates, an increased emphasis is placed on the potential health impacts for children exposed either in utero or by nursing to drugs of abuse, pharmaceuticals, and industrial or consumer chemicals. As a result, there is a renewed interest in the development and application of biologically based computational models that can be used to predict the dosimetry (or ultimately response) in a developing embryo, fetus, or newborn. However, fundamental differences between animal and human development can create many unique challenges. For example, unlike models designed for adults,biologically based models of pre-and postnatal development must deal with rapidly changing growth dynamics (maternal embryonic, fetal, and neonatal), changes in the state of differentiation of developing tissues, uniquely expressed or uniquely functioning signal transduction or enzymatic pathways, and unusual routes of exposure (e.g., maternal-mediated placental transfer and lactation). In cases where these challenges are overcome or addressed, biological modeling will likely prove useful in assessments geared toward children's health, given the contributions that this approach has already made in cancer and non-cancer human health risk assessments. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to critically evaluate the current state of the art in physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) modeling of the developing embryo, fetus, or neonate and to recommend potential steps that could be taken to improve their use in children's health risk assessments. The intent was not to recommend improvements to individual models per se, but to identify areas of research that could move the entire field forward. This analysis includes a brief summary of current risk assessment practices for developmental toxicity, with an overview of developmental biology as it relates to species-specific dosimetry. This summary should provide a general context for understanding the tension that exists in modeling between describing biological proceses in exquisite detail vs. the simplifications that are necessary due to lack of data (or through a sensitivity analysis, determined to be of little impact) to develop individual PBPK or PD models. For each of the previously published models covered in this review, a description of the underlying assumptions and model structures as well as the data and methods used in model development and validation are highlighted. Although several of the models attempted to describe target tissues in the developing embryo, fetus, or neonate of laboratory animals, extrapolations to humans were largely limited to maternal blood or milk concentrations. Future areas of research therefore are recommended to extend the already significant progress that has been made in this field and perhaps address many of the technical policy, and ethical issues surrounding various approaches for decreasing the uncertainty in extrapolating from animal models to human pregnancies or neonatal exposures.

The ARF tumor suppressor participates in a p53-dependent apoptotic pathway that is stimulated in response to some oncogenic stimuli. The E2F1 transcription factor is a critical downstream target of the Rb tumor suppressor and, when active, can promote proliferation as well as apoptosis. The finding that E2F1 transcriptionally regulates the ARF gene has led to the suggestion that ARF contributes to E2F1-induced apoptosis. Counter to this hypothesis, this study demonstrates not only that ARF is unnecessary for E2F1 to induce apoptosis but also that inactivation of ARF actually enhances the ability of E2F1 to promote apoptosis. Inactivation of ARF also cooperates with E2F1 activity to promote entry into the S phase of the cell cycle. This relationship between ARF and E2F1 is demonstrated in transgenic epidermis in vivo and in mouse embryo fibroblast cultures in vitro. In contrast, the ability of Myc to induce apoptosis is diminished in the absence of ARF. E2F1 induces the accumulation of p53 in the absence of ARF, and this is associated with the phosphorylation of p53 on several residues. These findings demonstrate that ARF is a negative regulator of E2F1 activity and is not required for E2F1-induced apoptosis.

The purpose of this paper is to derive certain lessons learned about funded international communication research. Like other types of funded research, funding for international communication research is increasing as funding agencies perceive the value of communication research. Much international communication research is interdisciplinary in nature, and benefits the American university in broadening intellectual concerns to a more worldwide perspective. The Internet is changing the nature of certain types of international communication research by providing rapid, low-cost access to overseas respondents in data-gathering, and by raising new issues to be investigated. Also, the rise of this new communication technology calls the potential of communication research to the attention of funding agencies.

With increasing managerialism and bureaucratisation in the caring professions, where the focus of attention is directed primarily to the techno-rational, the instrumental and the impersonal, care becomes labour in the service of economy, efficiency and effectiveness. Relying on the work of psychodynamic theorists, the first part of this paper offers a critical analysis of selected 'snapshots of practice' demonstrating the costs of abdicating emotion and nurture in the care process. The second part of the paper describes an 18-month co-operative inquiry involving women practitioner/students in health, social care and education. The study highlights the quest for meaning and significance in learning and work and the process of re-balancing the mind and heart in the context of the bureaucratic organisation as one of heroic dimensions. Establishing a sustained community of care yielded a renewed sense of direction and creative action among participants.

Stable isotopes and biomarkers have identified a unit with similar organic geochemistry to the Waipawa Formation, in the upper Te Uri Member of the Whangai Formation, exposed in the Akitio River, at Tawanui, southern Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. At Tawanui, the uppermost greensand of the Te Uri Member contains a large positive 813C isotopic excursion from ‐27.0%o to ‐20%e and an increase in total organic carbon from 0.1% to 1.0%. Biomarker analyses demonstrate a similar C30 sterane fingerprint to other deposits of the Waipawa Formation. We propose that the uppermost greensand of the Te Uri Member at Tawanui is a condensed stratigraphic equivalent of the Waipawa Formation at nearby Angora Stream and other East Coast Basin localities. This correlation demonstrates that Waipawa Formation is middle Teurian (middle Paleocene) and precedes the late Paleocene thermal maximum event by c. 5 m.y. The likely upwelling event that resulted in deposition of the Waipawa Formation was geographically widespread but ...

Summary Portable sawmill logging in Papua New Guinea is widely advocated by ecoforestry organisations as an ecologically improved method of rainforest exploitation because of its reduced impact on biodiversity. Here the impacts of conventional high impact/intensity conventional logging, and low impact/intensity portable sawmill logging on tree diversity six years after harvest are compared based on current operational practices. Tree diversity was significantly lower after high impact/intensity logging in comparison to low impact/intensity logging and unlogged forest. Low impact logging resulted in a reduction in tree diversity of 5 % and 25 % for the Shannon Wiener index (H') and Simpson's index (D) of diversity, respectively, in comparison to unlogged forest. Conventional logging resulted in a reduction in diversity of 25 % (H') and 48 % (D) in comparison to unlogged forest. Based on comparisons with other studies high reductions in tree diversity after conventional high impact logging are attributed to...

A seed institution is an organization that plays a dominant role in a new scholarly field by shaping intellectual directions for theory and research. The Department of Communication at Michigan State University was a seed institution in defining the new field of communication study in the 1960s because (1) of its focus on an integrated perspective of communication, emphasizing commonalities across mass and interpersonal communication, (2) of its quantitative focus, (3) of its internationalization and intercultur‐alism, and (4) of its considerable resources devoted to research and doctoral training. We focus here on how Wilbur Schramm ‘s vision for communication study was implemented and modified by David K. Berlo and his colleagues at Michigan State University.

THE TREATIES PUBLISHED HERE are principally from the crown archives of Poland, established first at Cracow and then at Warsaw. On the. disappearance of Poland in 1795 theywere.transferred to. St Petersburg and later to Moscow, whence they returned in .1923.2 The Ottoman registers into which such treaties were copied all post-date 1699 and the reorganisation of the Ottoman chancery, but they contain most of the Polish treaties in the two volumes of Ahmed Feridun's manual of chancery practice, Man~eata 'l-Selatin. 3 Nothing. is known of the documents sent from the Polish side to Istanbul. Some of the documents edited here were utilised in Kolodziejczyk's earlier work, but he also exploits. an important unpublished doctoral thesis by Hans Theunissen (Utrecht University, 1991) on Ottoman decrees issued to the Venetian republic up to 1640. The documents amount to an exhaustive history of Polish-Ottoman peace treaties, all the way from draft to final document, backed by a chronological survey of successive armistices, treaties· and frontier demarcations and of the preceding negotiations. Their publication is overdue: no independent European state sent envoys so regularly to the Porte (there was never a permanent Polish mission in Istanbul), but the documents have attracted singularly little attention on the Ottoman side. The author's study, which he modestly concedes to be (totally obsolete', is allthe more necessary in that manuals of Islamic Chancery practice (which, however, do not appear to survive .. from Ottoman Turkey) are often normative and ignore actual practice. Its frankly Rankean tenor, though not perhaps uncongenial to readers of The Court Historian, turns A. J. P. Taylor's jibe that Ranke (almost assumed that men wrote [such] documents for the benefit of historians' against itself. These documents are basic for the history not only of Poland and Lithuania but. also. of Moldavia and Wallachia, Transylvania, the Crimean Khanate, the Ukrainian Cossack hetmanate and the Nogay horde-all states which tend to be marginalized by European historians but all at one time or another obstacles to Habsburg or Russian expansion. They thus highlight the key positions of Poland, and Ottoman Turkey, in the political and diplomatic history of central and eastern Europe.