The Brownness

A pine-sapling starts out green as the scrub it replaces. After ten years the brown begins. Just a fox-tail of dry needles in a lower fork. Then it spreads to the armpits of shaded boughs. The pine tips swagger up into the daylight, a wedge of tall spears all shaking their tips at each other competitive, vaunting and climbing oipinus erectus\ much waving no growth, it seems at first. But month by month it stretches, strangling grasses below in this first tide of the great extermination

Novel copper(II) and silver(I) complexes incorporating benzimidazole and related nitrogen donor ligands: synthesis, biomimetic, anticancer and antifungal activities

This project describes the synthesis and biomimetic/biological properties of sixty nine copper (II) and silver (I) complexes. The complexes were derived from reactions of four copper (II) carboxylate compounds along with copper(II) and silver(I) salts with various nitrogen donor ligands. Approximately sixty of the complexes are novel. X-ray crystal structures for five of the novel copper (II) complexes are reported. [Cu9salH)2 (1) [Cu2(asp)4(H2O)2].H2O (2) [Cu(dipsH)2(H2O) (3) and {Cu(msal)(H2))}n (4) were generated when copper (II) hydroxide was reacted with the relevant carboxylic acid. Complexes (1) – (4) reacted with simple benzimidazoles to yield twelve complexes with three of them being structurally characterised. When (1 – (4) were reacted with the potential chelating ligands thiabendazole, 2 – (2-pryridyl)benzimidazole, 1, 10-phenanthroline and 2,2’-bipryidine twelve complexes resulted with one of them being structurally characterised. Copper (II) acetate and the simple copper(II)salts, copper sulphate and copper chloride were each reacted with both the chelating and the simple benzimidazole ligands to yield twenty complexes with one being structurally elucidated by X-ray analysis. Silver(I) salicylate ([Ag2(salH)2] was generated as described in the literature. All attempts to generate benzimidazole derivative of [Ag2(salH)2] were unsuccessful. The silver(I) salts, silver nitrate, silver sulphate and silver acetate were reacted with both the chelating and the simple benzimidazole ligands to yield nineteen compounds. None of the fifty copper(II) complexes generated during this study exhibited significant catalase activity but all did show SOD mimetic properties and selected complexes also exhibited anticancer activity against three human derived cancer cell lines. The antifungal activities of all of the complexes were also examined against the pathogen Candida albicans. At higher concentrations the majority of the copper(II) complexes exhibit very good activity but as the concentration is decreased their efficacy diminishes significantly. All of the silver(I) derivatives were extremely photo-stable and exhibited anti-mycotic activity far greater than the prescription drug Ketoconazole

The Burden and Social Determinants of Asthma for Adults in the State of Georgia

Background: Asthma is a serious chronic health condition, and social determinants may affect its prevalence. Methods: Data from the Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance Survey (BRFSS), the Georgia Asthma Call-back Survey (ACBS), and the Georgia hospital and emergency department survey for patients with a diagnosis of asthma were used. All data were from the years 2011 through 2014. SAS and SUDAAN software were used to calculate weighted prevalence estimates and to perform univariate and multivariate analyses of the association between social determinants, other risk factors, and asthma outcomes. Results: The prevalence of asthma was highest among non-Hispanic blacks, women, and persons with less than a high school education, with an annual household income below $25,000, and in rural parts of the state (south and northwest Georgia). Those without insurance for more than three years had a higher prevalence of asthma than those who had insurance or had been uninsured less than 6 months. Although the percentage without insurance declined from 2012 to 2014, more than 1 in 5 adults of working age with asthma still lacked health insurance, and more than half had been without it for more than 3 years. One-third of Georgians with asthma could not see a doctor, at least on one occasion, because of cost, and more than a third were currently paying off medical bills. Approximately one quarter did not report having a personal physician, and a similar percentage reported having more than one year since their last check-up. In multivariate analyses, women (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.61), smokers (aOR 1.54), and persons with a higher BMI (aOR 1.56) were all independently associated with having asthma. Conclusions: For the state of Georgia, there are associations between social determinants, such as education, income, and geography, and the prevalence of asthma, and many patients lack access to care. Addressing social determinants, including having affordable health insurance, is necessary to improve management of asthma

Pacioli, Popes, and the Bottom Billion: A Timeless Perspective on Economic Development

In 1494 Luca Pacioli, Franciscan friar, published Summa de Arithmetica Geometria Proportioni et Proportionalita (The Summa). Simply put, The Summa was an early business textbook comprised of five sections; four of mathematics and one of bookkeeping (or accounting). A textbook written to support the economic development of the common person of 1500 Italy. Today developing nations still struggle with economic (often low) growth. Especially impacted are the bottom billion, those who are still largely impoverished. Consequently, a debate over foreign aid has emerged. This debate centers on methods rather than objectives and is often characterized by the contrasting approaches. The books of Sachs (The End of Poverty, 2005) and Easterly (The White Man’s Burden, 2006) serve as a classic contrast of solution perspectives. This paper suggests a significant contribution to the economic development (aid) solution in the 500-year-old work of Luca Pacioli with its focus on developing human capital. The problems faced by an evolving merchant-based economy in 16th century Italy are surprisingly similar to those of contemporary developing economies, including the socially positive impacts of business and education’s role therein. Pacioli lists the elements of business success as access to capital (financing, mathematical and accounting skills), ability to model business and make business decisions, and an appropriate accounting system (“Venetian” or double entry bookkeeping). This paper argues these fundamentals are as important today and they were 500 years ago and considers them in the context of today’s emerging economies. In addition, Pacioli’s work integrates well with both various economic development theories and Catholic Social Teaching

Cost Effective Modelling to Improve the Functionality of the Broken Creek Rice’s Weir and Kennedy’s Weir Vertical Slot Fishways

Acknowledgement Goulburn-Murray Water Broken Creek in north-central Victoria flows into the River Murray upstream of Barmah. There are 10 low-head (\u3c2 m high) weirs on Broken Creek which all have vertical slot fishways however these have high turbulence (i.e. 75 W/m3) and thus limited functionality for several species of native small and medium sized fish (i.e. \u3c300 mm long). In late 2017, the Victorian government (DELWP) engaged Jacobs and Kingfisher Research to hydraulically model the Rices and Kennedy’s Weir fishways to prepare conceptual designs for retro-fitted ‘key-hole’ slots to reduce pool turbulence and demonstrate potential for improvement in functionality to pass much smaller fish (i.e. \u3e50 mm long). Jacobs applied a Microsoft Excel based fishway model which takes fishway geometry, calibrated slot discharge coefficient data, and headwater/tailwater ranges, and uses these data to predict individual pool turbulence, depth and slot velocity. These hydraulic outputs were combined with fish swimming ability, maximum allowable turbulence, and minimum water depth to graphically demonstrate water level ranges for which each fishway could pass small, medium and large-sized native fish. Conceptual level ‘key-hole’ slot designs were then developed, reducing slot areas and flow rates and enabling passage of all fish sizes. The modelling showed that The theoretical implementation of ‘key-hole’ slots effectively halved the fishway discharge and reduced the pool turbulence to 35 W/m3, the known threshold suitable for passage of small-sized native fish. This project demonstrated the efficiency of Microsoft Excel based modelling to bring together both fishway hydraulics and fish biology, with novel design options rapidly evaluated for a low cost. Graphical fishway operation tables were automatically produced for the full range of site operational conditions without the need for costly post-processing of model results. GBCMA propose to retrofit key-hole slots to Rice’s and Kennedy’s weir fishways to improve their performance during 2018

Chief medical officers\u27 perceptions of disease management programs

The purpose of this article is to examine chief medical officers\u27 (CMOs) perception of disease management programs. Five open-ended questions, each addressing a major issue in the development of disease management programs, were given to 31 CMOs who attended a series of invitation-only conferences on disease management in the fall of 1999. Qualitative data analysis was conducted using the transcripts on each of the issues. Overall, the CMOs viewed the emergence of capitated disease management programs positively. They considered the population of a program to be the contractual patients and/or those at risk for the target disease. On the issue of quality and cost, they preferred an optimal balance between the two. They saw the Internet as an opportunity for the education of patients as well as providers. However, they were concerned about patient confidentiality and further widening of the gap between those who have the financial means to access healthcare and those who do not. In spite of concerns expressed about the current generation of disease management programs, the CMOs held an optimistic view of the future of these programs. To become better accepted, disease management programs must address the issues of confidentiality and quality of care

Problem Construction and Creativity: The Role of Ability, Cue Consistency, and Active Processing

Problem construction has been suggested as the first step in creative problem solving, but our understanding of the underlying process is limited. According to a model of problem construction (Mumford, Reiter-Palmon, & Redmond, 1994), problem construction ability, active engagement in problem construction, and the presence of diverse and inconsistent cues influence creative problem solving. To test these hypotheses, 195 undergraduates were asked to solve 6 real-life problems and complete a measure of problem construction ability. Active engagement in problem construction was manipulated by instructions to the participants. Cue consistency was manipulated by the information presented in the problem situation. The quality, originality, and creativity of the solutions were evaluated. Results indicated that problem construction ability was related to higher quality solutions as well as solutions rated as more original. Problem construction ability also interacted with cue consistency such that individuals with high problem construction ability produced solutions of higher quality and originality when faced with inconsistent cues. The implication of these findings to our understanding of creative problem solving and the problem construction process are discussed

The American Corporation in the Twenty-first Century

Opportunistic Downsizing of Senior Workers: Exploring the Fiduciary/Contract Distinction to Enforce Implicit Employment Agreements lecture given by Marleen A. O\u27Connor, Professor of Law at Stetson College. The Motivational Implications of Debt Financing lecture given by George Triantis, Nicholas E. Chimicles Research Professor of Business Law and Regulation at the University of Virginia and the Director of the John M. Olin Program in Law and Economics. Political Backlash and the Corporation lecture given by Mark Roe, Professor of Law at Columbia University and Director of the Columbia Law School Sloan Project on Corporate Governance. Venture Capital and the Structure of Capital Markets: Banks versus Stock Markets lecture given by Ronald J. Gilson, Charles J. Meyers Professor of Law and Business at Stanford University and The Marc and Eva Stern Professor of Law and Business at Columbia University. The Shaping Force of Corporate Law in the New Economic Order lecture given by Jeffrey N. Gordon, Professor of Law and Co-director Center for Law and Economic Studies at Columbia University

FAK Is a Critical Regulator of Neuroblastoma Liver Metastasis

Neuroblastomas express increased levels of gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRP-R). However, the exact molecular mechanisms involved in GRP-R-mediated cell signaling in neuroblastoma growth and metastasis are unknown. Here, we report that focal adhesion kinase (FAK), as a critical downstream target of GRP-R, is an important regulator of neuroblastoma tumorigenicity. We found that FAK expression correlates with GRP-R expression in human neuroblastoma sections and cell lines. GRP-R overexpression in SK-N-SH cells increased FAK, integrin α3 and β1 expressions and cell migration. These cells demonstrated flatter cell morphology with broad lamellae, in which intense FAK expression was localized to the leading edges of lamellipodia. Interestingly, FAK activation was, in part, dependent on integrin α3 and β1 expression. Conversely, GRP-R silencing decreased FAK as well as Mycn levels in BE(2)-C cells, which displayed a denser cellular morphology. Importantly, rescue experiments in GRP-R silenced BE(2)-C cells showed FAK overexpression significantly enhanced cell viability and soft agar colony formation; similarly, FAK overexpression in SK-N-SH cells also resulted in increased cell growth. These effects were reversed in FAK silenced BE(2)-C cells in vitro as well as in vivo. Moreover, we evaluated the effect of FAK inhibition in vivo. FAK inhibitor (Y15) suppressed GRP-induced neuroblastoma growth and metastasis. Our results indicate that FAK is a critical downstream regulator of GRP-R, which mediates tumorigenesis and metastasis in neuroblastoma