Phenomenological study of gay male undergraduate college students' experiences at a Jesuit Catholic university, A

2016 Spring.Includes bibliographical references.The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological study was to understand how male undergraduate students who identify as openly gay experience marginality and mattering at a Jesuit Catholic university. There were 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States as of this writing, each with its own varying approach towards the treatment of gay and lesbian students. Much like the state of the Catholic Church in the era of Pope Francis, many Jesuit colleges and universities struggle with the philosophical contradiction between maintaining a distinctly Catholic identity and creating a campus climate that reflects the Jesuit values of care and social justice. Using Schlossberg’s (1989) theory of marginality and mattering in college environments as the theoretical framework, data were collected from fourteen participants through semi-structured interviews, which took place at a Jesuit Catholic university in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Data were then analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis, which yielded three cross-case superordinate themes and ten sub-themes. The three cross-case superordinate themes—Identity; Campus Climate, and; The Church and the Institution—described key elements of participants’ experiences as male undergraduate students who identify as openly gay at a Jesuit Catholic university and how these students experienced marginality and mattering on-campus. Each of the three main themes was then used as a lens to explore how participants experienced marginality and mattering

A Juvenile\u27s Right Against Compelled Self-Incrimination at Predisposition Proceedings

State courts have struggled to balance the tensions between the juvenile justice system and a juvenile\u27s constitutional rights at post-adjudicatory predisposition proceedings. Washington courts do not provide a clear standard for protecting a juvenile\u27s rights at these proceedings. This Comment examines the punitive nature of Washington\u27s juvenile justice system and argues that the right against self-incrimination should attach at juvenile predisposition proceedings. It also argues that a grant of use and derivative use immunity at such proceedings provides optimal protection for juvenile rights because it safeguards a juvenile\u27s rights while fostering the treatment component of the Juvenile Justice Act

Composite pulses in Hyper-Ramsey spectroscopy for the next generation of atomic clocks

The next generation of atomic frequency standards based on an ensemble of neutral atoms or a single-ion will provide very stringent tests in metrology, applied and fundamental physics requiring a new step in very precise control of external systematic corrections. In the proceedings of the 8th Symposium on Frequency Standards and Metrology, we present a generalization of the recent Hyper-Ramsey spectroscopy with separated oscillating fields using composites pulses in order to suppress field frequency shifts induced by the interrogation laser itself. Sequences of laser pulses including specific selection of phases, frequency detunings and durations are elaborated to generate spectroscopic signals with a strong reduction of the light-shift perturbation by off resonant states. New optical clocks based on weakly allowed or completely forbidden transitions in atoms, ions, molecules and nuclei will benefit from these generalized Ramsey schemes to reach relative accuracies well below the 10$^{-18}$ level.Comment: accepted as proceedings of the 8th Symposium on Frequency Standards and Metrology (Potsdam Germany, 12-16 october 2015

Synthetic Frequency Protocol in the Ramsey Spectroscopy of Clock Transitions

We develop an universal method to significantly suppress probe-induced shifts in any types of atomic clocks using the Ramsey spectroscopy. Our approach is based on adaptation of the synthetic frequency concept [V. I. Yudin, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 030801 (2011)] (previously developed for BBR shift suppression) to the Ramsey spectroscopy with the use of interrogations for different dark time intervals. Universality of the method consists in arbitrariness of the possible Ramsey schemes. However, most extremal results are obtained in combination with so-called hyper-Ramsey spectroscopy [V. I. Yudin, et al., Phys. Rev. A 82, 011804(R) (2010)]. In the latter case, the probe-induced frequency shifts can be suppressed considerably below a fractional level of 10$^{-18}$ practically for any optical atomic clocks, where this shift previously was metrologically significant. The main advantage of our method in comparison with other radical hyper-Ramsey approaches [R. Hobson, et al., Phys. Rev. A 93, 010501(R) (2016); T. Zanon-Willette, et al., Phys. Rev. A 93, 042506 (2016)] consist in much greater efficiency and resistibility in the presence of decoherentization.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figure

Cardioprotection by systemic dosing of thymosin beta four following ischemic myocardial injury

Thymosin beta 4 (Tβ4) was previously shown to reduce infarct size and improve contractile performance in chronic myocardial ischemic injury via two phases of action: an acute phase, just after injury, when Tβ4 preserves ischemic myocardium via antiapoptotic or anti-inflammatory mechanisms; and a chronic phase, when Tβ4 activates the growth of vascular or cardiac progenitor cells. In order to differentiate between the effects of Tβ4 during the acute and during the chronic phases, and also in order to obtain detailed hemodynamic and biomarker data on the effects of Tβ4 treatment suitable for use in clinical studies, we tested Tβ4 in a rat model of chronic myocardial ischemia using two dosing regimens: short term dosing (Tβ4 administered only during the first 3 days following injury), and long term dosing (Tβ4 administered during the first 3 days following injury and also every third day until the end of the study). Tβ4 administered throughout the study reduced infarct size and resulted in significant improvements in hemodynamic performance; however, chamber volumes and ejection fractions were not significantly improved. Tβ4 administered only during the first 3 days following injury tended to reduce infarct size, chamber volumes and improve hemodynamic performance. Plasma biomarkers of myocyte injury were significantly reduced by Tβ4 treatment during the acute injury period, and plasma ANP levels were significantly reduced in both dosing groups. Surprisingly, neither acute nor chronic Tβ4 treatment significantly increased blood vessel density in peri-infarct regions. These results suggest the following: repeated dosing may be required to achieve clinically measureable improvements in cardiac function post-myocardial infarction (MI); improvement in cardiac function may be observed in the absence of a high degree of angiogenesis; and that plasma biomarkers of cardiac function and myocardial injury are sensitive pharmacodynamic biomarkers of the effects of Tβ4

NSAIDs May Protect Against Age-Related Brain Atrophy

The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in humans is associated with brain differences including decreased number of activated microglia. In animals, NSAIDs are associated with reduced microglia, decreased amyloid burden, and neuronal preservation. Several studies suggest NSAIDs protect brain regions affected in the earliest stages of AD, including hippocampal and parahippocampal regions. In this cross-sectional study, we examined the protective effect of NSAID use on gray matter volume in a group of middle-aged and older NSAID users (n = 25) compared to non-user controls (n = 50). All participants underwent neuropsychological testing and T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Non-user controls showed smaller volume in portions of the left hippocampus compared to NSAID users. Age-related loss of volume differed between groups, with controls showing greater medial temporal lobe volume loss with age compared to NSAID users. These results should be considered preliminary, but support previous reports that NSAIDs may modulate age-related loss of brain volume

So, You Want to Use Next Generation Sequencing In Marine Systems? Insight from the Pan Pacific Advanced Studies Institute

The emerging field of next-generation sequencing (NGS) is rapidly expanding capabilities for cutting edge genomic research, with applications that can help meet marine conservation challenges of food security, biodiversity loss, and climate change. Navigating the use of these tools, however, is complex at best. Furthermore, applications of marine genomic questions are limited in developing nations where both marine biodiversity and threats to marine biodiversity are most concentrated. This is particularly true in Southeast Asia. The first Pan-Pacific Advanced Studies Institute (PacASI) entitled Genomic Applications to Marine Science and Resource Management in Southeast Asia was held in July 2012 in Dumaguete, Philippines, with the intent to draw together leading scientists from both sides of the Pacific Ocean to understand the potential of NGS in helping address the aforementioned challenges. Here we synthesize discussions held during the PacASI to provide perspectives and guidance to help scientists new to NGS choose among the variety of available advanced genomic methodologies specifically for marine science questions

Oral vs. pharyngeal dysphagia: surface electromyography randomized study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A clear differential diagnosis between oral and pharyngeal dysphagia remains an unsolved problem. Disorders of the oral cavity are frequently overlooked when dysphagia/odybophagia complaints are assessed. Surface electromyographic (sEMG) studies were performed on randomly assigned patients with oral and pharyngeal pathology to evaluate their dysphagia complaints for the sake of differential diagnosis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Parameters evaluated during swallowing for patients after dental surgery (1: n = 62), oral infections (2: n = 49), acute tonsillitis (3: n = 66) and healthy controls (4: n = 50) included timing and amplitude of sEMG activity of masseter, infrahyoid and submental muscles.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The duration of swallows and drinking periods was significantly increased in dental patients and was normal in patients with tonsillitis. The electric activity of masseter was significantly lower in Groups 1 and 2 in comparison with the patients with tonsillitis and controls. The submental and infrahyoid activity was normal in dental patients but infrahyoid activity in patients with tonsillitis was high.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Dysphagia following dental surgery or oral infections does not affect pharynx and submental muscles and has clear sEMG signs: increased duration of a single swallow, longer drinking time, low activity of the masseter, and normal range of submental activity. Patients with tonsillitis present hyperactivity of infrahyoid muscles. These data could be used for evaluation of symptoms when differential dental/ENT diagnosis is needed.</p