Understanding Appalachian Microaggression from the Perspective of Community College Students in Southern West Virginia

The term Appalachian is wrongly understood to represent a single culture of rural White poverty (Keefe, 2005). This conception contains stereotypical images that obscure hardships many rural White Central Appalachians face. Similar to other oppressed minorities in the U.S., what it means to be Appalachian is a social construction based on what differs them from the White hegemony. Recent scholarship on discrimination recognizes the importance of microaggression, small insults and slights experienced frequently by people from minority groups (Sue, et. al., 2007). Microaggression may be an especially insidious mechanism in the oppression of Appalachian people, since the derogatory stereotypes are broadly accepted while their oppressed status tends to not be acknowledged. This study applied qualitative focus group methodology to understand perceptions of microaggression and oppression among a sample of college students living in rural Central Appalachia. Results reveal themes of microaggression. Identifying Appalachian microaggression provides evidence of marginalized status and offers a framework for understanding how the social construction of White Appalachian perpetuates reduced status, stereotypes, and prejudice. Implications are discussed to consider how to foster resilience to oppression among rural White Central Appalachian people

The Effects of Electric Power Lines on the Breeding Ecology of Greater Sage-Grouse

Anthropogenic infrastructure can negatively affect wildlife through direct mortality and/or displacement behaviors. Some tetranoids (grouse spp.) species are particularly vulnerable to tall anthropogenic structures because they evolved in ecosystems void of vertical structures. In western North America, electric power transmission and distribution lines (power lines) occur in sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) landscapes within the range of the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recommended using buffer zones near leks to mitigate the potential impacts of power lines on sage-grouse. However, recommended buffer distances are inconsistent across state and federal agencies because data are lacking. To address this, we evaluated the effects of power lines on sage-grouse breeding ecology within Utah, portions of southeastern Idaho, and southwestern Wyoming from 1998–2013. Overall, power lines negatively affected lek trends up to a distance of 2.7 and 2.8 km, respectively. Power lines died not affect lek persistence. Female sage-grouse avoided transmission lines during the nesting and brooding seasons at distances up to 1.1 and 0.8 km, respectively. Nest and brood success were negatively affected by transmission lines up to distances of 2.6 and 1.1 km, respectively. Distribution lines did not appear to affect sage-grouse habitat selection or reproductive fitness. Our analyses demonstrated the value of sagebrush cover in mitigating potential power line impacts. Managers can minimize the effects of new transmission power lines by placing them in existing anthropogenic corridors and/or incorporating buffers at least 2.8 km from active leks. Given the uncertainty we observed in our analyses regarding sage-grouse response to distribution lines coupled with their role in providing electric power service directly to individual consumers, we recommend that buffers for these power lines be considered on a case-by-case basis. Micrositing to avoid important habitats and habitat reclamation may reduce the potential impacts of new power line construction

Effect of melatonin and its combination with antiepileptic drugs on pentylenetetrazol-induced seizure activity in mice

В статье изучено влияние мелатонина на противосудорожную активность в различных дозах. Исследованы противосудорожные эффекты противоэпилептических препаратов в условиях пентиленететразол-вызванных судорог при одновременном вводе с мелатонином. Исследования проводили на белых беспородных мышах-самцах массой 21–23 г. При изучении влияния мелатонина на судорожную активность было показано, что он вызывает дозозависимое влияние. Мелатонин увеличивает длительность латентного периода начала судорог. При исследовании совместного влияния мелатонин усиливает противосудорожное действие фенобарбитала и ретигабина и не влияет на противосудорожные эффекты вальпроата. Изучены побочные эффекты мелатонина и его введение совместно с противоэпилептическими препаратами.The paper studied the effect of melatonin on the anticonvulsant activity in different doses. There is studied anticonvulsant effects of antiepileptic drugs in pentilenetetrazol-induced seizures with concomitant administration of melatonin. The study was conducted on white outbred mice-male weighing 21–23 g. In studying the effect of melatonin on seizure activity, it was shown that it induces a dosedependent effect. Melatonin increases the duration of the latent period of onset seizures. In the study of the combined effect of melatonin enhances the anticonvulsant effect of phenobarbital and retigabine and does not affect the anticonvulsant effects of valproale. There are studied side effects of melatonin and its combination with antiepileptic medications

The study of the role of GABA-ergic system in realization of neurotropic effects of aza-15-crown-5 ether derivative

Показано, что механизм действия соединения С-3 связан с активацией эффектов ГАМК-ергической системы, о чем свидетельствует увеличение содержания ГАМК в гомогенате головного мозга крыс и уменьшение ферментативной активности ГАМК-Т. В концентрации 10-5 М макрогетероцикл способен на 50 % снижать связывание 3Н-ГАМК с мембранами фракции клеток головного мозга крыс. При сопоставлении противосудорожной активности соединения С-3 с эталонными препаратами оказалось, что ЕД50 макроцикла по методу «антагонизма с коразолом» ниже на порядок ЕД50 дифенилгидантоина и депакина.The aim of the work is the investigation of the GABA-ergic system role and antiseizure effects in macrogeterocycle C-3 neurotropic effects realization.The experiments were performed on 3-month Wistar rats weighting 160–180 g and mice weighting 18–20 g. The data obtained revealed that C-3 psychotropic activity characterizes by anticonvulsive activity wide spectrum appearance that is quite definite from compounds with nootropic activity. Macrogeterocycle C-3 has also expressed antiamnestic efficacy. It was shown that mode of action of compound C-3 is due to the activation of GABA-ergic system, that confirmed by the increase of GABA content and the decrease of enzymatic activity of GABA-T in rats brain gomogenate. The main effects of C-3 (antiamnesic, anticonvulsant) are diminished by bicuculline. Compoud C-3 in concentration of 10-5 M on 50% decreases the binding of 3H-GABA with membrane fraction of rats brain cells. Compound C-3 is more effective by its anticonvulsant activity than that of reference drugs of depakine and diphenylgidantoine. One could conclude that one of the possible mechanism of macrogeterocycle C-3 psychotropic effects realization is GABA molecule presence that could induce its direct interaction with brain GABA-ergic receptors

Detection of partial-thickness supraspinatus tendon tears: is a single direct MR arthrography series in ABER position as accurate as conventional MR arthrography?

The purpose of this study was to retrospectively evaluate sensitivity and specificity of a single magnetic resonance (MR) arthrography series in abduction external rotation (ABER) position compared with conventional MR arthrography for detection of supraspinatus tendon tears, with arthroscopy as gold standard, and to assess interobserver variability. Institutional review board approval was obtained; informed consent was waived. MR arthrograms of 250 patients (170 men and 80 women; mean age, 36 years) were retrospectively and independently evaluated by three observers. Oblique coronal T1-weighted fat-suppressed images, proton density, and T2-weighted images and axial T1-weighted images and oblique sagittal T1-weighted fat-suppressed images were analyzed to detect supraspinatus tendon tears. Separately, a single T1-weighted fat-suppressed oblique axial series in ABER position was evaluated. Both protocols were scored randomly without knowledge of patients' clinical history and arthroscopy results. Tears were subclassified, based on articular surface integrity and extension (Lee classification). Interobserver agreement was assessed by kappa statistics for all patients. Ninety-two of 250 patients underwent arthroscopy; sensitivity and specificity of ABER and conventional MR arthrography were calculated and compared using paired McNemar test. Weighted kappa values of ABER and conventional MR arthrography were 0.48-0.65 and 0.60-0.67, respectively. According to arthroscopy, 69 of 92 patients had an intact cuff, and 23 patients had a cuff tear (16 partial thickness and seven full thickness). There were no statistically significant differences between ABER and conventional MR arthrography regarding sensitivity (48-61% and 52-70%, respectively) and specificity (80-94% and 91-95%). Sensitivity and specificity of a single T1-weighted series in ABER position and conventional MR arthrography are comparable for assessment of rotator cuff tear

Molecular and functional interactions between tumor necrosis factor-alpha receptors and the glutamatergic system in the mouse hippocampus : implications for seizure susceptibility

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha is a proinflammatory cytokine acting on two distinct receptor subtypes, namely p55 and p75 receptors. TNF-alpha p55 and p75 receptor knockout mice were previously shown to display a decreased or enhanced susceptibility to seizures, respectively, suggesting intrinsic modifications in neuronal excitability. We investigated whether alterations in glutamate system function occur in these naive knockout mice with perturbed cytokine signaling that could explain their different propensity to develop seizures. Using Western blot analysis of hippocampal homogenates, we found that p55(-/-) mice have decreased levels of membrane GluR3 and NR1 glutamate receptor subunits while GluR1, GluR2, GluR6/7 and NR2A/B were unchanged as compared to wild-type mice. In p75(-/-) mice, GluR2, GluR3, GluR6/7 and NR2A/B glutamate receptor subunits were increased in the hippocampus while GluR1 and NR1 did not change. Extracellular single-cell recordings of the electrical activity of hippocampal neurons were carried out in anesthetized mice by standard electrophysiological techniques. Microiontophoretic application of glutamate increased the basal firing rate of hippocampal neurons in p75(-/-) mice versus wild-type mice, and this effect was blocked by 2-amino-5-phosphopentanoic acid and 6-nitro-7-sulfamoyl-benzo(f)quinoxaline-2,3-dione denoting the involvement of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid and AMPA receptors. In p55(-/-) mice, hippocampal neurons responses to glutamate were similar to wild-type mice. Spontaneous glutamate release measured by in vivo hippocampal microdialysis was significantly decreased only in p55(-/-) mice. No changes were observed in KCl-induced glutamate release in both receptor knockout mice strains versus wild-type mice. These findings highlight specific molecular and functional interactions between p55 and p75 receptor-mediated signaling and the glutamate system. These interactions may be relevant for controlling neuronal excitability in physiological and pathological conditions.peer-reviewe

Culture-Independent Microbiological Analysis of Foley Urinary Catheter Biofilms

Background: Prevention of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), a leading cause of nosocomial disease, is complicated by the propensity of bacteria to form biofilms on indwelling medical devices [1,2,3,4,5]. Methodology/Principal Findings: To better understand the microbial diversity of these communities, we report the results of a culture-independent bacterial survey of Foley urinary catheters obtained from patients following total prostatectomy. Two patient subsets were analyzed, based on treatment or no treatment with systemic fluoroquinolone antibiotics during convalescence. Results indicate the presence of diverse polymicrobial assemblages that were most commonly observed in patients who did not receive systemic antibiotics. The communities typically contained both Gram-positive and Gramnegative microorganisms that included multiple potential pathogens. Conclusion/Significance: Prevention and treatment of CAUTI must take into consideration the possible polymicrobial nature of any particular infection