The development of therapy suggestions for addressing issues of creativity in individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder

The aim of the present study was to generate a set of therapy suggestions specifically for use in the treatment of creative individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder. In order to achieve this end, the author collected information from bodies of literature that focused on three general research areas: (a) the relationship between bipolar illness and creativity, (b) the treatment of bipolar individuals, and (c) psychotherapy treatment of creative individuals. The information gleaned from these three areas was synthesized and used to inform the general treatment suggestions. This study examined several of the existing approaches to the treatment of bipolar disorder and provided suggestions for ways in which those treatments could be tailored for use with creative clients who are diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Effective psychiatric and psychological (i.e., psychotherapeutic) interventions have been developed for the treatment of individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder, though additional research can be conducted to better understand how these interventions can be adapted to improve outcomes with certain clinical subgroups. Creative individuals with bipolar disorder reflect one such subgroup, and it is hoped that the suggestions for therapeutic adaptations contained within this dissertation begin to draw more attention to an under-researched group

Product Designs that Enchant, Transform, and Endure

For many reasons – sustainability, product aesthetics, market demand for authenticity – there appears to be growing interest in classic products, products that are owned for a long time and stay on the market a long time. This is a conceptual paper which investigates these questions: What is classic art? What are classic product designs? What learning can be applied from classic art and classic product designs to new product designs? Art historians argue that classic art endures because its meanings constantly evolve. This paper reviews the semantic evolution of a classic novel, and the evolution of a classic product, the Austin Mini car. The design evolution of the Mini as well as many other classic products suggests a different design approach than recent approaches which focus on individual target segments, core product meanings, and brand identities. Classic design approaches suggest multiple targets, design ambiguity, and a brand focus on designer identity

Transonic conical flow

The problem of inviscid, steady transonic conical flow, formulated in terms of the small disturbance theory, is studied. The small disturbance equation and similarity rules are presented, and a boundary value problem is formulated for the case of a supersonic freestream Mach number. The equation for the perturbation potential is solved numerically using an elliptic finite difference system. The difference equations are solved with a point relaxation algorithm that is also capable of capturing the shock wave during the iteration procedure by using the boundary conditions at the shock. Numerical calculations, for shock location, pressure distribution and drag coefficient, are presented for a family of nonlifting conical wings. The theory of slender wings is also presented and analytical results for pressure and drag coefficients are obtained

Moving toward personalizing MELD exceptions in liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/150509/1/ajt15389_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/150509/2/ajt15389.pd

Diminishing Use of Liver Biopsy among Liver Transplant Recipients for Hepatitis C.

Background and Aims: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) cirrhosis is the leading indication for liver transplantation in the United States and recurrent HCV following liver transplantation is a major cause of allograft loss and mortality. Liver biopsies are commonly used to identify recurrent HCV and determine the need for antiviral therapy. The introduction of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) has changed the management of recurrent HCV infection. This study aimed to describe the role of liver biopsies in liver transplant recipients with HCV after the introduction of DAAs. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed looking at the rate of liver biopsies post-liver transplantation for HCV. The analysis included 475 adult liver transplants for hepatitis C performed at the University of California, Los Angeles from January 1, 2006 to October 1, 2015. Patients were divided into two eras, pre- and post-introduction of DAAs on December 1, 2013. Results: In the era before the introduction of DAAs, the percentage of patients biopsied was significantly higher compared to the era after the introduction of DAAs (56.1% vs. 26.9%, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The introduction of DAAs has changed the management of liver biopsy following liver transplantation and the management of recurrent HCV. Given that DAAs are well tolerated and have high efficacy, liver biopsies are no longer routinely used to justify the use antiviral therapy following liver transplantation

Gene-based genome-wide association studies and meta-analyses of conotruncal heart defects.

Conotruncal heart defects (CTDs) are among the most common and severe groups of congenital heart defects. Despite evidence of an inherited genetic contribution to CTDs, little is known about the specific genes that contribute to the development of CTDs. We performed gene-based genome-wide analyses using microarray-genotyped and imputed common and rare variants data from two large studies of CTDs in the United States. We performed two case-parent trio analyses (N = 640 and 317 trios), using an extension of the family-based multi-marker association test, and two case-control analyses (N = 482 and 406 patients and comparable numbers of controls), using a sequence kernel association test. We also undertook two meta-analyses to combine the results from the analyses that used the same approach (i.e. family-based or case-control). To our knowledge, these analyses are the first reported gene-based, genome-wide association studies of CTDs. Based on our findings, we propose eight CTD candidate genes (ARF5, EIF4E, KPNA1, MAP4K3, MBNL1, NCAPG, NDFUS1 and PSMG3). Four of these genes (ARF5, KPNA1, NDUFS1 and PSMG3) have not been previously associated with normal or abnormal heart development. In addition, our analyses provide additional evidence that genes involved in chromatin-modification and in ribonucleic acid splicing are associated with congenital heart defects

Therapists or Helpers? Notes on a Youth-Type Free Clinic

This paper builds upon a helpful typology of free clinics that divides then into four major kinds - the street, neighborhood, youth, and sponsored. While the typology tends to weave among characteristics of clientele, locale, and source of support in setting up its units, it nonetheless has the advantage of being based on an empirical assessment of the major forms of clinic operations through the country. Youth clinics - the type that particularly concerns us here - are defined as generally organized by adults, service clubs, or official boards... because of their concern about drug use among high school students. Such clinics are distinctive from the other types in that they generally offer drug care which is limited to education and counseling. Our examination of the youth clinic model attempts to determine its distinctive characteristics vis-a-vis the remaining types of programs. In this regard, we hope to move information and insights about free clinics beyond the head-counting, diagnosis-tabulating stage and the sometimes (and quite understandable) self-congratulatory observations that have surrounded the early, innovative period of the free clinic movement

High karyotypic variation in Orthemis Hagen, 1861 species, with insights about the neo-XY in Orthemis ambinigra Calvert, 1909 (Libellulidae, Odonata)

The American dragonfly genus Orthemis Hagen, 1861 is mainly found in the Neotropical region. Seven of 28 taxonomically described species have been reported from Argentina. Chromosome studies performed on this genus showed a wide variation in chromosome number and a high frequency of the neoXY chromosomal sex-determination system, although the sexual pair was not observed in all cases. This work analyzes the spermatogenesis of Orthemis discolor (Burmeister, 1839), O. nodiplaga Karsch, 1891 and O. ambinigra Calvert, 1909 in individuals from the provinces of Misiones and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Orthemis discolor has 2n=23, n=11+X and one larger bivalent. Orthemis nodiplaga exhibits the largest chromosome number of the order, 2n=41, n=20+X and small chromosomes. Orthemis ambinigra shows a reduced complement, 2n=12, n=5+neo-XY, large-sized chromosomes, and a homomorphic sex bivalent. Fusions and fragmentations are the main evolutionary mechanisms in Odonata, as well as in other organisms with holokinetic chromosomes. Orthemis nodiplaga would have originated by nine autosomal fragmentations from the ancestral karyotype of the genus (2n=22A+X in males). We argue that the diploid number 23 in Orthemis has a secondary origin from the ancestral karyotype of family Libellulidae (2n=25). The complement of O. ambinigra would have arisen from five autosomal fusions and the insertion of the X chromosome into a fused autosome. C-banding and DAPI/CMA3 staining allowed the identification of the sexual bivalent, which revealed the presence of constitutive heterochromatin. We propose that the chromosome with intermediate C-staining intensity and three medial heterochromatic regions corresponds to the neo-Y and that the neo-system of this species has an ancient evolutionary origin. Moreover, we discuss on the mechanisms involved in the karyotypic evolution of this genus, the characteristics of the neo sex-determining systems and the patterns of heterochromatin distribution, quantity and base pair richness.Fil: Mola, Liliana Maria. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución. Laboratorio de Citogenética y Evolución; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Fourastié, María Florencia. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Agopian, Silvia Susana. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución. Laboratorio de Citogenética y Evolución; Argentin

Impact of permeation and gelling times on the strength of N-sodium silicate grouted sands

Grouting is a technique used frequently to alter in-situ engineering soil parameters, mainly strength, deformability, and permeability. Chemical grouting in particular refers to injection of one or multiple fluids in grouting holes, with the aim of permeating the volume desired before the grout sets. Engineers require crucial parameters pre-, during, and post-gelation to quantify the economics and the efficacy of the treatment. The field of chemical grouting is highly reliant on laboratory and field pilot tests, due to the complexity of its mechanisms and processes. This study aims at understanding the behavior of Ottawa sand grouted using N-sodium silicate grout neutralized by dibasic ester. Sodium silicate grouting is one of the oldest methods in chemical grouting; its survival in the field is largely due to its economics. This type of grout is among the least expensive in its family, and pertains desirable properties such as flexibility in controlling gelling time, and ease of penetration in finer soils. Sodium silicate is also environmentally friendly, a quality much desired in this modern era. This research aims at finding the impact of the gelation time, relative to grout permeation time, on the properties of the grouted sand. The rheological properties of various mixes were first tested using a rheometer to identify the impact of the different mix components on the viscosity and set time. The various components of the grout mix were altered to determine the optimal mix. Select mixes were then subjected to a series of two syneresis tests on the gel itself and the grouted mass. The former showed a 70% loss in mass of the gel over the first year compared to non-measurable changes in volume in the latter. Grouted mass syneresis testing also showed that the lost mass is controlled by the exposed surface area, rather than total mass or volume. It was also concluded that constant mixing of the grout during the permeation phase is crucial in obtaining optimal results. A series of unconfined compressive strength tests revealed that sodium silicate grouts experience sedimentation and filtration during and post the grouting process (and prior to gelling). In an effort to show and overcome the effect of sedimentation, laboratory tests were conducted where the start of grouting was delayed such that the permeation was concluded at the onset of its gelation. The permeated samples with delayed start exhibited a higher strength than those permeated without a delay at a similar permeated number of pore volumes. The difference in strength decreased as the number of permeated pore volumes increased (and thus the time delay becomes smaller). A similar trend was seen in the moduli of the two series of tests with different gelling times. Additionally, a decrease in strength was observed within the grouted mass as we move away from the injection point; this variation in strength is mostly associated with filtration. Tests on 6” specimens with delayed permeation (reduced impact from sedimentation) showed a linear increase in the strength of the samples as the number of permeated pore volumes increased.Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineerin