Endothelial and smooth muscle cell interactions with a PCL-PU composite vascular scaffold with potential for bioactive release

Paper discussing endothelial and smooth muscle cell interactions with a PCL-PU composite vascular scaffold with potential for bioactive release

Biological control via "ecological" damping: An approach that attenuates non-target effects

In this work we develop and analyze a mathematical model of biological control to prevent or attenuate the explosive increase of an invasive species population in a three-species food chain. We allow for finite time blow-up in the model as a mathematical construct to mimic the explosive increase in population, enabling the species to reach "disastrous" levels, in a finite time. We next propose various controls to drive down the invasive population growth and, in certain cases, eliminate blow-up. The controls avoid chemical treatments and/or natural enemy introduction, thus eliminating various non-target effects associated with such classical methods. We refer to these new controls as "ecological damping", as their inclusion dampens the invasive species population growth. Further, we improve prior results on the regularity and Turing instability of the three-species model that were derived in earlier work. Lastly, we confirm the existence of spatio-temporal chaos

Extra Law Prices: Why MRPC 5.4 Continues to Needlessly Burden Access to Civil Justice for Low- to Moderate-Income Clients

Whether alternative business structures might improve access to justice for low- to moderate-income clients remains a contentious matter.8 Because alternative business structures are generally unavailable, lawyers rely on 501(c)(3) non-profit status and sliding-scale fee structures to reach an underserved market of low-to moderate-income clientele. Nevertheless, use of a sliding- scale fee structure is rare—perhaps because it fails to maximize law firm profits. A sliding-scale fee structure also does not assist clients who need legal services, but do not qualify for LSC-funded programs and are unable to pay even a portion of subsidized legal fees. This Note addresses why using a non-profit model to provide legal services to low- to moderate-income clientele is necessarily self-limiting. This Note further suggests that alternative business structures permitting non-lawyer ownership and operation of law firms are a more effective and efficient means to reach a presently underserved market. Part II provides a background about Model Rule 5.4 and discusses theories and rationales for why the legal profession in the United States refuses to compromise on deeply entrenched biases against nonlawyer ownership or management of law firms. Part III considers the methods and structures of non-profit law firms currently serving low- to moderate-income clientele and highlights specific examples of similarities and distinctions between varying legal markets. Part IV offers reasons why serving moderate-income clientele through a non-profit model is a self-limiting and ultimately inadequate way of expanding access to justice for a presently underserved market. Finally, Part V advocates permitting non-lawyer ownership and management of law firms. By utilizing business-sector expertise and economies of scale, lawyers can improve access to justice for low- to moderate-income clientele. This Note identifies Wills as a specific practice area already making such a transition

Library Olympics: The Power of Friendly Competition

Celebrate summer, sports and shelving! The annual library Olympics tests multiple skills while building some friendly competition among student workers. From call-number reading to the dumpster shoot-out, there is something for everyone in the race for the gold. Engage students and have fun! #LibraryOlympic

Effect of Hypoxia on the Oxygen Uptake Response to an Exhaustive Severe Intensity Run

It has been shown that highly aerobically trained individuals are unable to achieve maximal oxygen uptake (O2 max) during exhaustive running lasting ~2 min despite sufficient time for the response (Draper and Wood, 2005). However, hypoxia offers the opportunity to study the O2 response to an exhaustive run relative to a reduced O2 max. The purpose of the current study was to explore whether there is a difference in the percentage of O2 max attained (during a 2 minute exhaustive run) in normoxia and hypoxia. Fourteen trained middle-distance runners (mean ± SD; age 21.4 ± 3.4 y, height 1.76 ± 0.05 m, mass 66.0 ± 7.0 kg, O2 max 67.0 ± 5.2 ml.kg-1.min-1) volunteered for this study. Participants completed exhaustive treadmill ramp tests and square-wave tests (lasting 2 minutes), in normoxia and hypoxia (FiO2 0.13). Oxygen uptake was determined on a breath-by-breath basis throughout each test. The O2 data (excluding the first 15s) from the square-wave tests were modelled using a mono-exponential function. Repeated measures ANOVA (condition x test) was used to investigate the differences in O2 peak and post-hoc related samples t-tests for each condition were performed to explore a significant interaction. There was a significant interaction effect for O2 peak (P < 0.001). Post hoc tests revealed that the O2 peak achieved during the square-wave test was lower than the ramp test in normoxia (P < 0.001) but not in hypoxia (P = 0.49). The mean ± SD percentage of the ramp O2 peak achieved was; 86 ±0.06 vs. 102 ± 0.08%, for normoxia and hypoxia respectively. The phase II time constant was different between conditions (P = 0.029) demonstrating a slower oxygen uptake response to exercise in hypoxia (mean ± SD; 12.7 ± 2.8 vs. 10.4 ± 2.6 seconds, for hypoxia and normoxia respectively). The findings of the current study support the findings of Draper and Wood (2005) that suitably trained individuals do not achieve maximal oxygen uptake in running of this intensity. However, the present study has demonstrated that when maximal oxygen uptake is reduced through hypoxia it may then be achieved

TAMSAT Daily Rainfall Estimates (Version 3.0)

The dataset comprises high resolution (0.0375 degrees) satellite-derived daily rainfall estimates for all Africa from January 1983 to December 2016 (data from 2017 onwards can be downloaded from the TAMSAT website: http://www.tamsat.org.uk/). The dataset is derived from TAMSAT Version 3.0 pentadal (5-day) rainfall estimates (1983-present). Although the principle features of the TAMSAT rainfall estimation approach have remained the same in generating TAMSAT Version 3.0, the calibration used in Version 3.0 differs markedly to Version 2.0 and is designed to better capture local variations in the rainfall climate while reducing problems associated with Version 2.0. Additionally, the timestep for the primary rainfall estimate is 5-day (pentad) in Version 3.0, compared to 10-day (dekad) in Version 2.0. Further details can be found on the TAMSAT website

Interruptions in payments for lay counsellors affects HIV testing at antenatal clinics in Johannesburg

HIV testing uptake at 3 antenatal clinics in Johannesburg was 53% (1 333/2 502) during 4 months when lay counsellors were unpaid, which was lower than the 7 months when payment was provided (79%; 3 705/4 722; p<0.001), and a subsequent 12-month period (86.3%, 11 877/13 767; p<0.001) when counsellors were paid. Consistent remuneration of lay counsellors could markedly improve services for preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission

Health system weaknesses constrain access to PMTCT and maternal HIV services in South Africa: a qualitative enquiry

Background: HIV remains responsible for an estimated 40% of mortality in South African pregnant women and their children. To address these avoidable deaths, eligibility criteria for antiretroviral therapy (ART) in pregnant women were revised in 2010 to enhance ART coverage. With greater availability of HIV services in public health settings and increasing government attention to poor maternal-child health outcomes, this study used the patient’s journey through the continuum of maternal and child care as a framework to track and document women’s experiences of accessing ART and prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) programmes in the Eastern Cape (three peri-urban facilities) and Gauteng provinces (one academic hospital). Results: In-depth interviews identified considerable weaknesses within operational HIV service delivery. These manifested as missed opportunities for HIV testing in antenatal care due to shortages of test kits; insufficient staff assigned to HIV services; late payment of lay counsellors, with consequent absenteeism; and delayed transcription of CD4 cell count results into patient files (required for ART initiation). By contrast, individual factors undermining access encompassed psychosocial concerns, such as fear of a positive test result or a partner’s reaction; and stigma. Data and information systems for monitoring in the three peri-urban facilities were markedly inadequate. Conclusions: A single system- or individual-level delay reduced the likelihood of women accessing ART or PMTCT interventions. These delays, when concurrent, often signalled wholesale denial of prevention and treatment. There is great scope for health systems’ reforms to address constraints and weaknesses within PMTCT and ART services in South Africa. Recommendations from this study include: ensuring autonomy over resources at lower levels; linking performance management to facility-wide human resources interventions; developing accountability systems; improving HIV services in labour wards; ensuring quality HIV and infant feeding counselling; and improved monitoring for performance management using robust systems for data collection and utilisation