cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Moving beyond Pseudoargumentation: Teachers' Enactments of an Educative Science Curriculum Focused on Argumentation.

Argumentation, a key epistemic practice in science, engages students in socially constructing knowledge claims using evidence. However, teachers need support in integrating argumentation into classroom instruction. We examined teachers’ enactments of an educative science curriculum and their curricular decision making for argumentation. Ten middle school teachers enacted lessons that focused on both the structure of an argument and argumentation as a dialogic process. For each teacher, we analyzed videotapes of two lessons and follow-up interviews. Across the teachers, we observed a wide range in teachers’ enactments. In some instances, teachers’ instructional practices aligned with the underlying epistemic goals, while in other cases the structural aspects were oversimplified and discourse norms followed more traditional teacher-led patterns. To support classroom instruction to move beyond pseudoargumentation, we found three main influences on teachers’ curricular decision making in classes with higher quality argumentation: (1) teachers’ understanding of argumentation as an epistemic practice (rather than surface level features), (2) teachers as critically reflective curriculum users, and (3) teachers problematizing their prior teaching experiences. As a field, we need to think critically about how to design teacher education experiences to discourage the relabeling of teaching with reform-oriented terms, such as argumentation, and instead support instructional transformation.
Gender inequality and homicide: a cross-national examination

Studies examining gender inequality and crime have often explored the connection between female victimisation and crime. However, feminist theories do provide a rationale for gender inequality affe...
Fall Prediction and Prevention Systems: Recent Trends, Challenges, and Future Research Directions

Fall prediction is a multifaceted problem that involves complex interactions between physiological, behavioral, and environmental factors. Existing fall detection and prediction systems mainly focus on physiological factors such as gait, vision, and cognition, and do not address the multifactorial nature of falls. In addition, these systems lack efficient user interfaces and feedback for preventing future falls. Recent advances in internet of things (IoT) and mobile technologies offer ample opportunities for integrating contextual information about patient behavior and environment along with physiological health data for predicting falls. This article reviews the state-of-the-art in fall detection and prediction systems. It also describes the challenges, limitations, and future directions in the design and implementation of effective fall prediction and prevention systems.
Preserving Spin States upon Reflection: Linear and Nonlinear Responses of a Chiral Meta-Mirror.

Conventional metallic mirrors flip the spin of a circularly polarized wave upon normal incidence by inverting the direction of the propagation vector. Altering or maintaining the spin state of ligh...
The Impact of a State Medicaid Peer-Review Authorization Program on Pediatric Use of Antipsychotic Medications

Objective:This cross-sectional study assessed the impact of a peer-review program on the prevalence of pediatric antipsychotic use among Medicaid-insured youths in a Mid-Atlantic state.Methods:Medicaid claims (2010–2014) were assessed among continuously enrolled youths in the 12 months before and after implementation of peer review. The study identified children ages zero to four preimplementation (N=118,815) and postimplementation (N=121,431), ages five to nine preimplementation (N=98,681) and postimplementation (N=107,872), and ages 10 to 17 preimplementation (N=154,696) and postimplementation (N=161,370). (Age ranges are inclusive of the final number). In each age group, multivariable logistic regression models with generalized estimating equations assessed the change in annual prevalence of antipsychotic use pre- to postimplementation. Use of other leading psychotropic classes and antipsychotic prescribing by medical specialty were also examined.Results:The annual pre- to postimplementation prevalence...
Genetics of phototactic behavior in Drosophila ananassae, a member of the melanogaster species group.

Using Hirsch-Hadler phototaxis mazes, selection for photopositive and photonegative behavior was carried out for 21 generations inDrosophila ananassae. The chromosomes that are important in influencing photomaze behavior inD. ananassae are different from what has been observed for other members of themelanogaster species group, and the differences cannot be entirely attributed to the chromosome rearrangements which have occurred during the evolution of these related species.
Industry-Academia Linkages: Lessons from Empirical Studies and Recommendations for Future Inquiry

This chapter offers a critical review of the literature primarily published since 2000 on industry-academia linkages with particular attention to conceptualizations for future investigations. It starts with a brief overview of the historical developments leading to the knowledge economy. Then it describes various frameworks commonly found in the literature to describe the role of higher education in the knowledge economy such as academic capitalism, the triple-helix model, networks of knowledge, and hybrid organizations. Then, it reviews in depth seven themes commonly found in previous studies on industry-academia linkages: Benefits of Industry-Academia Linkages; Mertonian versus Business Values; Academic Freedom; Basic versus Applied Research; Dissemination of Knowledge vs Patenting; Technology Transfer Offices and Intellectual Property Polices; and Impact on Students. Based on these studies, this chapter continues with a critical discussion of the overgeneralized discourse found in the literature masking the significant influence of contextual differences within disciplinary hierarchies and across disciplines. It concludes with areas of inquiry for future investigations.
Foreword on Set Theory

The building blocks of mathematics are sets, yet no one should say what a set is. An axiomatic treatment of set theory postulates the existence of certain undefined or primitive objects, called sets, together with symbols and axioms governing their use. A graphic analogy can be made with geometry where there are given undefined objects called points, lines, and planes, together with a collection of axioms relating these objects to each other. An axiom of projective geometry is P: If L 1 and L 2 are distinct lines, there is one and only one point P on both L 1 and L 2. Here the relation “P is on L 1” is undefined. Another axiom is P*: If P 1 and P 2 are distinct points, there is one and only one line L on both P 1 and P 2. Any collection of objects which, when properly named as “points” and “lines”, satisfy the axioms of geometry, serve as points and lines, equally as well as any other such collection. It must be possible to replace in all geometric statements the words point, line, plane by table, chair, mug (David Hilbert, quoted by Weyl [44, p. 635]). Nevertheless, from the axioms we soon discover that some objects in a geometry are not “points” and some objects are not “lines”. Analogously in the theory of sets, after we have named our candidates for sets, and listed the undefined symbols and the axioms governing them, we find that not everything in sight is a set. For example, as Cantor observed, there is no such set as “the set of all sets”.
Neurofilament is superior to cytokeratin 20 in supporting cutaneous origin for neuroendocrine carcinoma.

Aim Primary cutaneous neuroendocrine carcinoma, or Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), cannot be distinguished morphologically from small-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (SmCC) from other sites. Immunohistochemistry is required to confirm cutaneous origin, and is also used for detection of sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastases of MCC. Cytokeratin 20 (CK20) expression is commonly used for these purposes, but is negative in some MCC cases, and has unclear specificity. We evaluated immunohistochemistry for neurofilament and CK20 in MCC compared with SmCC from other sites. Methods and results We evaluated neurofilament expression in 55 MCC specimens from 39 unique patients, including nine CK20-negative MCC tumours. Neurofilament expression was observed in 42 of 55 (76.4%) MCC cases, including seven of nine (77.8%) CK20-negative MCC cases. Neurofilament was expressed in nine of 12 (75%) Merkel cell polyomavirus-positive tumours and five of 10 (50%) virus-negative tumours. Compared to a standard immunohistochemical panel (cytokeratin cocktail and CK20), neurofilament was 87.5% sensitive for detecting SLN metastases. Neurofilament and CK20 expression was also assessed in 61 extracutaneous SmCC from 60 unique patients, with primary sites including lung (27), bladder (18), cervix (3), gastrointestinal tract (3), sinonasal tract (2) and other sites (7). The specificity of neurofilament and CK20 for MCC versus non-cutaneous SmCC was 96.7% and 59.0%, respectively. Conclusions Neurofilament has superior specificity to CK20 in distinguishing MCC from non-cutaneous SmCC. Neurofilament is frequently expressed in CK20- and virus-negative MCC tumours. Limitations of neurofilament immunohistochemistry include lower sensitivity than CK20 and subtle staining in some tumours. However, our findings indicate that neurofilament is useful for excluding non-cutaneous SmCC.
The roots of political activism in British science

Turmoil of the 1930s and 1940s stimulated widespread discussion of the contemporary and historical relationships of science and society; the resulting debate led to greater appreciation on both sides of the Atlantic of the rights and duties of scientists
Microblog Mood Predicts the Box Office Performance

Zhan Lang 2 (Wolf Warrior 2), an action movie directed and acted by Wu Jing, won a huge success in the Chinese film market in 2017. Its earned 5.6 billion yuan in the box office, become the biggest film of all time in China. The discussion of the movie on social media plays an indispensable role in influencing the box office performance. This study aims to predict movie box office performance based on affective computation on the related feeds on social media. Since the research on Chinese sentiment analysis is limited, and the accuracy of the analysis highly depends on the context, this study proposes to combine topic's hotness degree with emotion score to improve the accuracy of the prediction. Based on 16,496,675 related Sina Weibo feeds and Douban movie reviews in a restricted time zone, with the prediction algorithm proposed in the paper, the prediction result yields an R2=95.71%. Which means the success of Zhan Lang 2 is utterly predictable.
Deliberative Democracy in an Unequal World: A Text-As-Data Study of South India’s Village Assemblies

This paper opens the “black box” of real-world deliberation by using text-as-data methods on a corpus of transcripts from the constitutionally mandated gram sabhas, or village assemblies, of rural India. Drawing on normative theories of deliberation, we identify empirical standards for “good” deliberation based on one’s ability both to speak and to be heard, and use natural language processing methods to generate these measures. We first show that, even in the rural Indian context, these assemblies are not mere “talking shops,” but rather provide opportunities for citizens to challenge their elected officials, demand transparency, and provide information about local development needs. Second, we find that women are at a disadvantage relative to men; they are less likely to speak, set the agenda, and receive a relevant response from state officials. And finally, we show that quotas for women for village presidencies improve the likelihood that female citizens are heard.
Units of Concentration and the Salt Factor

Twelve different units of concentration that are commonly used in pharmacy, chemistry, and biology, plus the salt factor, are defined both descriptively and mathematically in this chapter. Conversions of concentration units are demonstrated in great detail with practice examples. A vast number of practice exercises extracted from the area of protein research and other ingenious uses of drugs in hospitals to treat patients unresponsive to conventional treatments were created for you to become proficient in concentration unit conversions. Also, practice problems describing prescriptions that can be used to treat diseases such as psoriasis, arthritis, cholesterolemia, skin hyperpigmentation, and acne will keep you locked on a very interesting text that relates units of concentration with formulation creativity, pharmacological activity and toxicity.
Correlating inter-particle forces and particle shape to shear-induced aggregation/fragmentation and rheology for dilute anisotropic particle suspensions: A complementary study via capillary rheometry and in-situ small and ultra-small angle X-ray scattering.

Abstract Hypothesis Understanding the stability and rheological behavior of suspensions composed of anisotropic particles is challenging due to the complex interplay of hydrodynamic and colloidal forces. We propose that orientationally-dependent interactions resulting from the anisotropic nature of non-spherical sub-units strongly influences shear-induced particle aggregation/fragmentation and suspension rheological behavior. Experiments Wide-, small-, and ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering experiments were used to simultaneously monitor changes in size and fractal dimensions of boehmite aggregates from 6 to 10,000 A as the sample was recirculated through an in-situ capillary rheometer. The latter also provided simultaneous suspension viscosity data. Computational fluid dynamics modeling of the apparatus provided a more rigorous analysis of the fluid flow. Findings Shear-induced aggregation/fragmentation was correlated with a complicated balance between hydrodynamic and colloidal forces. Multi-scale fractal aggregates formed in solution but the largest could be fragmented by shear. Orientationally-dependent interactions lead to a relatively large experimental suspension viscosity when the hydrodynamic force was small compared to colloidal forces. This manifests even at low boehmite mass fractions.
Interactions of the Nipah Virus P, V, and W Proteins across the STAT Family of Transcription Factors.

The Nipah virus (NiV) phosphoprotein (P) gene encodes four proteins. Three of these-P, V, and W-possess a common N-terminal domain but distinct C termini. These proteins interact with immune modulators. Previous studies demonstrated that P, V, and W bind STAT1 and STAT4 and that V also interacts with STAT2 but not with STAT3. The STAT1 and STAT2 interactions block interferon (IFN)-induced STAT tyrosine phosphorylation. To more fully characterize the interactions of P, V, and W with the STATs, we screened for interaction of each viral protein with STATs 1 to 6 by coimmunoprecipitation. We demonstrate that NiV P, V, and W interact with STAT4 through their common N-terminal domain and block STAT4 activity, based on a STAT4 response element reporter assay. Although none of the NiV proteins interact with STAT3 or STAT6, NiV V, but not P or W, interacts with STAT5 through its unique C terminus. Furthermore, the interaction of NiV V with STAT5 was not disrupted by overexpression of the N-terminal binding STAT1 or the C-terminal binding MDA5. NiV V also inhibits a STAT5 response element reporter assay. Residues 114 to 140 of the common N-terminal domain of the NiV P gene products were found to be sufficient to bind STAT1 and STAT4. Analysis of STAT1-STAT3 chimeras suggests that the P gene products target the STAT1 SH2 domain. When fused to GST, the 114-140 peptide is sufficient to decrease STAT1 phosphorylation in IFN-β-stimulated cells, suggesting that this peptide could potentially be fused to heterologous proteins to confer inhibition of STAT1- and STAT4-dependent responses.IMPORTANCE How Nipah virus (NiV) antagonizes innate immune responses is incompletely understood. The P gene of NiV encodes the P, V, and W proteins. These proteins have a common N-terminal sequence that is sufficient to bind to STAT1 and STAT2 and block IFN-induced signal transduction. This study sought to more fully understand how P, V, and W engage with the STAT family of transcription factors to influence their functions. The results identify a novel interaction of V with STAT5 and demonstrate V inhibition of STAT5 function. We also demonstrate that the common N-terminal residues 114 to 140 of P, V, and W are critical for inhibition of STAT1 and STAT4 function, map the interaction to the SH2 region of STAT1, and show that a fusion construct with this peptide significantly inhibits cytokine-induced STAT1 phosphorylation. These data clarify how these important virulence factors modulate innate antiviral defenses.
Plasma l-indospicine and 3-nitropropionic acid in ponies fed creeping indigo: Comparison with results from an episode of presumptive creeping indigo toxicosis.

BACKGROUND Creeping indigo (Indigofera spicata) toxicosis is an emerging problem among horses in Florida and bordering states. OBJECTIVES To quantify the putative toxins l-indospicine (IND) and 3-nitropropionic acid (NPA) in creeping indigo collected from multiple sites and to measure plasma toxin concentrations in ponies fed creeping indigo and horses with presumptive creeping indigo toxicosis. STUDY DESIGN Experimental descriptive study with descriptive observational field investigation. METHODS Air-dried creeping indigo was assayed for IND and NPA content. Five ponies were fed chopped creeping indigo containing 1 mg/kg/day of IND and trace amounts of NPA for 5 days, then observed for 28 days. Blood samples from these ponies and from horses involved in a presumptive creeping indigo toxicosis were assayed for IND and NPA. RESULTS IND in creeping indigo plants was 0.4-3.5 mg/g dry matter whereas NPA was <0.01 to 0.03 mg/g. During creeping indigo feeding, clinical and laboratory signs were unchanged except for significant weight loss (median 6%, range 2%-9%; p = .04) and significant increase from baseline plasma protein concentration (median 16 g/L, range 8-25 g/L; p < .001). These changes could not definitively be ascribed to creeping indigo ingestion. Plasma IND rose to 3.9 ± 0.52 mg/L on day 6. Pharmacokinetic modelling indicated an elimination half-life of 25 days and a steady state plasma concentration of 22 mg/L. Plasma IND concentration in sick horses during an incident of creeping indigo toxicosis was approximately twice that of clinically normal pasture mates. Plasma NPA was <0.05 mg/L in all samples. MAIN LIMITATIONS Creeping indigo used in the feeding trial may not be representative of plants involved in creeping indigo toxicosis. There was no control group without creeping indigo in the feeding trial. CONCLUSIONS Indospicine can be detected in blood of horses consuming creeping indigo and the toxin accumulates in tissues and clears slowly. The role of NPA in the neurological signs of this syndrome is unclear.
Increased placental expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, the receptor of SARS-CoV-2, associated with hypoxia in twin anemia-polycythemia sequence (TAPS).

Abstract Introduction Recent reports suggest SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, may be transmittable from pregnant mother to placenta and fetus, albeit rarely. The efficacy of vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 critically depends on the availability of its receptor, ACE2, in the placenta. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that placental ACE2 expression is oxygenation-dependent by studying the expression of ACE2 and associated cell entry regulators in the monochorionic twin anemia-polycythemia (TAPS) placenta, a model of discordant placental oxygenation. Methods We performed a retrospective comparative immunohistochemical, immunofluorescence and Western blot analysis of ACE2, TMPRSS2 and Cathepsin B expression in anemic and polycythemic territories of TAPS placentas (N = 14). Results ACE2 protein levels were significantly higher in the anemic twin territories than in the corresponding polycythemic territories, associated with upregulation of the key ACE2-related cell entry regulators, TMPRSS2 and Cathepsin B, immunolocalized to villous trophoblastic and stromal cells. Cellular colocalization of ACE2 and TMPRSS2, suggestive of functionality of this cell entry axis, was demonstrated by double immunofluorescence studies. Discussion Placental hypoxia is associated with upregulation of ACE2 expression, concomitant with increased expression of its key cell entry proteases. ACE2-regulated placental functions, both infection- and non-infection related, may be highly oxygenation-dependent.
Computer Modeling of Intrusion Effects on Occupant Dynamics in Very Severe Frontal Crashes

Computer simulations of occupant dynamics in frontal crashes have pretty much been done like sled tests, in that crash-induced deformation of the interior--which may be significant for the occupant--has usually not been accounted for. The object of occupant dynamics simulation studies is often to assess the effect of changes in vehicle front-end parameters on occupant response. But these parameter variations may influence the amount of interior deformation. In order to simulate more accurately occupant dynamics in very severe crashes, the interior deformation caused by engine intrusion should concurrently be simulated. Crash test results over a range of speeds were used in a computer simulation study of occupant compartment intrusion in high speed barrier crash tests. It was found that intrusion has a significant effect on occupant response and where appropriate should be included in crash simulations. For the crash conditions simulated, intrusion increases the restrained occupant's head and chest accelerations while no clear trend emerged for the unrestrained occupant.
Looking through the Wrong End of the Telescope? Refracting Sacrosanctum Concilium

Foley employs the use of a traditional refracting telescope as a metaphor for the process of interpretation that has surrounded Sacrosanctum Concilium ( SC ) since 1963. He cautions that the misuse of the telescope creates serious distortions and even polar opposite readings of things and events. A poorly refracted interpretation of SC can do the same. From the earliest post-Vatican II days various interpretive approaches and frameworks appeared, and most have been helpful toward implementing its teachings. However, Foley holds that what is common and most problematic is the way that SC – or more frequently specific teachings of SC – is interpreted through documents of obviously lesser magisterial weight. A glaring example of this reverse interpretation can be found in the 2001 Vatican Instruction Liturgiam Authenticam , On the use of Vernacular Languages in the Publication of the Books of the Roman Liturgy. This kind of reverse refraction often leads to not only to a minimizing of the teachings of SC but sometimes even their reversal.
What is Neuroticism, and Can We Treat it?

We review the substantive role of neuroticism and related temperaments such as extroversion in the development and maintenance of anxiety, mood, and related disorders subsumed under the term emotional disorders (EDs). We note that splitting these disorders into discrete categories as in the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) diagnoses may be highlighting relatively superficial differences. Research on the structure of anxiety, mood, and related disorders indicates that neuroticism, emerging from genetic, neurobiological, and psychological factors, is central to the development of these disorders. We make a case for shifting the focus of psychological treatment of EDs to target core temperaments such as neuroticism, and discuss a dimensional approach to assessing EDs that focuses on the underlying temperament. We examine key issues requiring additional research to evaluate this possibility. Keywords: neuroticism; emotional disorders; temperament; psychological interventions
Linear convergence of tatônnement in a bertrand oligopoly

We show the linear convergence of the tatonnement scheme in a Bertrand oligopoly price competition game using a possibly asymmetric attraction demand model with convex costs. To demonstrate this, we also show the existence of the equilibrium.
Conformal Treatment Planning And Interactive Graphics

Recent advances in three-dimensional radiotherapy treatment planning, based on volumetric digital information from CT, MR, and other imaging modalities, have prompted considerable interest in conformal treatment planning. This resentation will demonstrate a sampling of conLrmal treatment planning using interactive graphics based on both our current techniques and on new techniques developed using the supergraphics workstation.
David L Waltz, in Memoriam

Dave Waltz began his career of creativity and collaboration after completing his dissertation in 1972 at the MIT AI Lab. That dissertation created the field of constraint propagation by showing that constraints and a rich but simple descriptive system were sufficient to recover 3-dimensional information from a 2-dimensional projection. Besides an education, Dave picked up a passion for the high-energy atmosphere that propelled the MIT AI Lab to prominence—an atmosphere that he spent the rest of his life recreating
Electrodeposition of Copper Thin Film on Ruthenium A Potential Diffusion Barrier for Cu Interconnects

The electrochemical deposition of copper (Cu) thin film on polycrystalline ruthenium (Ru) electrode surface was investigated in a sulfuric acid plating bath. Scanning electron microscopic characterization indicated that a continuous thin Cu film (150 A and above) could be conformally coated on Ru with good control of thickness. The nucleation and growth of Cu on Ru was studied using the potentiostatic current-transient method. The results support a predominantly progressive nucleation of Cu on the Ru surface. In addition, X-ray diffraction patterns indicated (i) a principally (111) texture of the electrochemically grown Cu on Ru and (ii) the absence of any new phase or compound formation between the two metals, even after annealing up to 800°C. Scotch tape peel tests showed that Cu films adhered strongly to Ru, both before and after the annealing treatments. The lack of metallurgical interaction and strong adhesion between Cu and Ru at elevated temperatures underscore the potential application of Ru as a new Cu diffusion barrier. © 2003 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.
A Conjecture Concerning the Rieger and Quasi-Biennial Solar Periodicities

It has been established that the Rieger periodicity of approximately 153 days is part of a complex of periodicities, all multiples of a basic period of approximately 25.5 days. However, it has not been clear why the sixth subharmonic of this periodicity should be preferentially manifested. We here note that if the Sun contains two rotating elements, with different periods and different axes, a special situation will arise if the two periods have a lowest common multiple, for in this case the relative configuration of the two rotators would repeat exactly at that (LCM) period. This chain of thought leads us to suspect that the Sun contains a second rotating element with rotational period in the range 21 - 22.5 days.
Some properties and the possible metabolic significance of amino acid-lipid complexes.

Abstract After incubation of hen oviduct tissue with radioactive amino acids under various conditions, the lipid fraction was extracted from the tissue. It was found that the amino acids were bound to components in the lipif fraction and that the resulting complexes could be separated into discrete fractions by countercurrent distribution and column chromatography. The phenomenon was general for the eleven amino acids tested. The formation of the most nonpolar radioactive complex was inhibited by processes which inhibited protein synthesis. The results are discussed in terms of the possible involvement of these complexes in the metabolism of the amino acid.
Separate People: Speaking of Creek Men and Women

Subjectivity, gender, and language are examined among contemporary Creek Indians of northeastern Oklahoma. Creek men are shown to define and shape social reproduction. Women's generality and unbounded “flow,” such as that signified by menstruation, provide vitality and growth that force the separation of men from women and signal their definition as “separate(d) people.” Creek language use is shown to be organized through these mutually interdependent principles of gendered subjectivity.
Multiplexed analysis of steroid hormones in human serum using novel microflow tile technology and LC–MS/MS

A novel microfluidic chromatography device coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) was utilized for the multiplex analysis of 5 steroids (testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, progesterone, cortisol, cortisone) in human serum. The use of microfluidics allowed for reduction of the chromatographic flow rate to 3 μl/min with overall method run times comparable to standard flow LC–MS/MS methods reported in the literature, corresponding to a 150 fold decrease in solvent consumption. Furthermore, a simple sample preparation protocol was employed requiring injection of only 0.5 μl of sample, corresponding to a 100–400 fold increase in on-column sensitivity as compared to published standard flow assays. The measured LOQ for both testosterone and progesterone was 0.4 ng/mL, representing an improvement over reported literature values obtained by standard flow methods employing comparable sample preparation and large injection volumes. The LOQs for cortisol (1.9 ng/mL), cortisone (0.3 ng/mL), and dihydrotestosterone (1.4 ng/mL) were all within a biologically relevant range. A comparison of clinical serum samples was performed for the analysis of testosterone using this microfluidic LC–MS/MS assay and the Beckman Access II automated antibody-based measurement system. The immunoassay results were systematically higher due to matrix interference which was easily resolved with the increased chromatographic resolution obtained in the microflow LC–MS/MS assay.
Where is the patient? The association of psychosocial factors and missed primary care appointments in patients with diabetes

Abstract Objective Missed appointments are associated with poorer health outcomes. We predicted that compared to secure attachment style, fearful and dismissing attachment styles would be associated with greater number of missed primary care visits in patients with diabetes. Methods In patients with diabetes from nine health maintenance organization primary care clinics, we collected data on attachment style and major depression status, and determined the number of missed primary care appointments from automated data. We used Poisson and logistic regression analyses to determine if attachment style was associated with the number of missed primary care same day appointments, scheduled office visits and scheduled preventive care visits, after adjusting for demographics, clinical characteristics, appointment frequency and clustering by clinic. We included major depression as a potential effect modifier. Results Among 3923 patients with diabetes, prevalence rates of attachment styles were 43.9% for secure, 35.8% for dismissing, 8.1% for preoccupied and 12.2% for fearful attachment style. Major depression was present in 12.4% of patients. Among patients without major depression, there were more missed scheduled office visits (RR=1.46, 95% CI=1.18–1.81) among those with dismissing compared to secure attachment style. The likelihood of having missed same day appointments was lower for those with fearful attachment style relative to those with secure attachment style in nondepressed patients compared to patients with fearful and secure attachment style with major depression ( P Conclusions Attachment styles characterized by low levels of collaboration are associated with more missed primary care appointments compared to secure attachment style in patients with diabetes. These associations are moderated by depression status.
Local cerebral glucose utilization in the newborn macaque monkey

The [14C]deoxyglucose method for quantitative determination of local cerebral glucose utilization was employed in newborn macaque monkeys. Values ranged from a high of 180 mumol/100 gm/min in the inferior colliculus to a low of 14 mumol/100 gm/min in the centrum ovale, a wider range than had been found in this laboratory for pubescent monkeys. Relatively low values in white matter overlapped with the generally higher values in gray matter. Rates for structures in the lower neuraxis were equal to or exceeded those reported for the mature animal, while those above the midbrain were generally lower. The auditory system was unique in having rates equal to, or exceeding, its mature levels in all parts of the pathway including the cortex. In the visual system, subcortical structures were at their mature levels while rates in the cortical areas were variably low; nevertheless, the striate cortex had differential rates marking the various laminae. It was possible to demonstrate the metabolic counterpart of the ocular dominance columns in two newborn animals that had had one eye occluded during the experiment. Rates for white matter were above their mature levels, with the differences being greatest in the brainstem and cerebellum. A high correlation between glucose utilization and local blood flow measured with [14C]antipyrine (r = 0.92) was found.
An ultrahigh resolution SPECT system for I-125 mouse brain imaging studies

This paper presents some initial experimental results obtained with a dual-head prototype single photon emission microscope system (SPEM) that is dedicated to mouse brain studies using I-125 labeled radiotracers. In particular, this system will be used for in vivo tacking of radiolabeled T cells in mouse brain. This system is based on the use of the intensified electron multiplying charge-coupled device (I-EMCCD) camera that offers the combination of an excellent intrinsic spatial resolution, a good signal-to-noise ratio, a large active area and a reasonable detection efficiency over an energy range between 27-140keV. In this study, the dual-head SPEM system was evaluated using both resolution phantoms and a mouse with locally injected T cells labelled with I-125. It was demonstrated that for a relatively concentrated source object, the current dual-head SPEM system is capable of visualizing the tiny amount of radioactivity (~12 nCi) carried by a very small number (<1000) of T cells. The current SPEM system design allows four or six camera heads to be installed in a stationary system configuration that offers a doubled or tripled sensitivity at a spatial resolution similar to that obtained with the dualhead system. This development would provide a powerful tool for in vivo and non-invasive tracking of radiolabeled T cells in mouse brain and potentially for other rodent brain imaging studies.
Enhanced HTS hit selection via a local hit rate analysis

The postprocessing of high-throughput screening (HTS) results is complicated by the occurrence of false positives (inactive compounds misidentified as active by the primary screen) and false negatives (active compounds misidentified as inactive by the primary screen). An activity cutoff is frequently used to select "active" compounds from HTS data; however, this approach is insensitive to both false positives and false negatives. An alternative method that can minimize the occurrence of these artifacts will increase the efficiency of hit selection and therefore lead discovery. In this work, rather than merely using the activity of a given compound, we look at the presence and absence of activity among all compounds in its "chemical space neighborhood" to give a degree of confidence in its activity. We demonstrate that this local hit rate (LHR) analysis method outperforms hit selection based on ranking by primary screen activity values across ten diverse high throughput screens, spanning both cell-based and biochemical assay formats of varying biology and robustness. On average, the local hit rate analysis method was approximately 2.3-fold and approximately 1.3-fold more effective in identifying active compounds and active chemical series, respectively, than selection based on primary activity alone. Moreover, when applied to finding false negatives, this method was 2.3-fold better than ranking by primary activity alone. In most cases, novel hit series were identified that would have otherwise been missed. Additional uses of and observations regarding this HTS analysis approach are also discussed.
A model of the determinants of effort

Abstract This study derives an expression for effort from utility-maximizing behavior on the part of workers, whose utility depends on consumption, effort, and the ratio between their wage and their perceived fair wage. Unlike many shirking models, this study treats effort as a continuous variable rather than as a dichotomous choice. Effort is shown to depend on wages at a worker's current firm, wages at other firms, the ratio between a worker's wage and perceived fair wage, unemployment benefits, the unemployment rate, and the firm's monitoring intensity.
Characterization of the inhibitory effect of lysolipids on perforin-mediated hemolysis.

Abstract The ability of lysolipids to inhibit the lytic activity of perforin from cytotoxic T lymphocytes was investigated. Sublytic concentrations of various lysolipids were incorporated into the membranes of sheep red blood cells (RBC) and the cells were then lysed with purified perforin. Lysophosphatidylcholines (lysoPC) can effectively block perforin-mediated lysis at micromolar concentrations. This is in marked contrast to phosphorylcholine, the putative calcium-dependent receptor for perforin, which inhibits lysis only at ⩾ millimolar concentrations. Unlike the inhibitory action of lipids, the lysolipids do not show a strict dependence on headgroup composition, as lysophosphatidylserine (lysoPS) is just as effective as lysoPC. All the lysoPC tested, ranging from lysolauroyl PC to lysostearoyl PC, are good inhibitors, with lysomyristoyl PC being the most effective. Binding of lysoPC to RBC is reversible; the inhibition by lysoPC can be removed with bovine serum albumin (BSA), and washing RBC that had been pretreated with lysoPC leads to a loss of inhibition. Binding of perforin to membranes is temperature-independent and precedes a temperature-dependent, insertion/pore-formation stage; hemolysis experiments that take advantage of this fact indicate that lysoPC acts mostly by blocking perforin binding to the RBC membranes.
A knowledge-based framework for extracting components in agile systems development

Considerable strides have been made in the use of components in software development. Many proprietary enterprise resource planning (ERP) software environments use modular components to develop and customize "best practices" to meet a specific organizational need. In agile application development, many developers and users are asked to design systems in a short period of time. These applications may use components that are embedded in software repositories. The challenge then is how to select the right software components (data and procedures) to meet an application requirement. Although experienced developers may select and customize components to meet the needs of an application, such expertise may not be available to other applications. This paper presents a knowledge-based framework to select and customize software components and demonstrates its value in deriving quality specifications, even when the developers are relatively inexperienced.
Incentive Pricing and Utility Regulation: Reply

elasticity of demand is less than one is entirely correct. It may be only a quibble, but it seems to me to be more appropriate to consider the rate of exchange between total profit, 7x, and the total waste, W, rather than the rate of exchange between Xr and the rate of inefficiency, X, as does Jaffee. It is a little misleading for Jaffee to maintain that the relationship between wastage and profit is a simple one to derive, and then follow up with a comparison of X7 and X: a different function entirely. My selection of W instead of X was not made inadvertently, but reflected my tendency to think along the lines of Williamson's "emoluments," for which W (total emoluments) is surely the more relevant variable.' In a way, I suppose this remains a matter of taste since one can conceive of a managerial utility function with the rate of inefficiency used as an index of management comfort. Even so, I would expect the discomfort associated with reductions in X to vary positively with volume, and this leads back to W as the proper measure.
Effect of NO on extinction and re-ignition of vortex-perturbed hydrogen flames

Abstract The catalytic effect of nitric oxide (NO) on the dynamics of extinction and re-ignition of a vortex-perturbed non-premixed hydrogen–air flame is studied in a counterflow burner. A diffusion flame is established with counterflowing streams of nitrogen-diluted hydrogen at ambient temperature and air heated to a range of temperatures that brackets the auto-ignition temperature. Localized extinction is induced by impulsively driving a fuel-side toroidal vortex into the steady flame, and the recovery of the extinguished region is monitored by planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) of the hydroxyl radical (OH). The dynamics of flame recovery depend on the air temperature and fuel concentration, and four different recovery modes are identified. These modes involve combinations of edge-flame propagation and the expansion of an auto-ignition kernel that forms within the extinguished region. The addition of a small amount of NO significantly alters the re-ignition process by shifting the balance between chain-termination and chain-propagation reactions to enhance auto-ignition. The ignition enhancement by this catalytic effect causes a shift in the conditions that govern the recovery modes. In addition, the effects of NO concentration and vortex strength on the flame recovery are examined. Direct numerical simulations of the flame–vortex interaction with and without NO doping show how the small amount of OH produced by NO-catalyzed reactions has a significant impact on the development of an auto-ignition kernel. This joint experimental and numerical study provides detailed insight into the interaction between transient flows and ignition processes.
The hypnotic use of language — a Heideggerian interpretation

Abstract This paper shows that Heidegger's theory of language has implications for our understanding of hypnosis. A Heideggerian interpretation of samples of trance inductions brings to light the fact that the hypnotic use of language differs from the everyday language in two major dimensions: in hypnosis, language “call” things into being, thus becoming “something more than a simple, practical means of communicating with others and a means of controlling nature” and in hypnosis, humans enter into a reversed relationship with language, a relationship in which it is language, rather than the hypnotist, that “speaks.”
Friends and Neighbors Voting in Judicial Retention Elections: a Research Note Comparing Trial and Appellate Court Elections

T HIS brief article reports the variations in the friends and neighbors effect when judicial retention elections for major trial courts are compared with judicial retention elections for appellate courts. Previous work on major trial court retention elections (Aspin and Hall 1987) reported that while voters in the home county of the judge were more likely to vote than were the voters in the rest of the district, there was no home county advantage in affirmative votes. Standing in sharp contrast to the trial court pattern is the clear home county advantage reported herein for appellate court retention elections. This home county advantage is similar in magnitude to that recently reported for statewide partisan elections (Rice and Macht 1987); however, in contrast to the reported patterns for partisan elections, the home county advantage for appellate court retention elections is not related to population. The friends and neighbors effect is a calculated promotion of local interest. Voters support a candidate "not primarily for what he stands for or because of his capacities, but because of where he lives" (Key 1949: 37). Key labeled the appeal-"back the home-town boy"irrelevant, but he noted that in the absence of traditional voting cues, such an appeal based on boosterism "can exert no little influence over an electorate" (Key 1949: 41). Judicial retention elections became a part of the judicial selection process with the development of the system of merit selection. This merit selection process and the use of retention plebiscites were two efforts aimed at taking politics out of judicial selection. The merit selection process was seen as a practical compromise between those who sought an independent judiciary and those whose goal was judicial accountability. The merit selection process was designed first to get quality judges into office and then to ensure they would be able to serve for long periods of time. Although the judges would be insulated from political influences and removal from the
Strong spin-spin coupling effects arising from fast exchange between weakly coupled spin systems

Abstract It is demonstrated that the criterion for the determination of whether a spin-spin interaction ( J ij ) is “strong” or “weak” by comparing J ij with the corresponding chemical shift difference | ω i − ω j | needs modification in the presence of exchange, especially if rapid exchange conditions prevail. In particular, it is shown using computer-generated spectra for ABC ⇄ A′B′ + C′ exchange that two weakly coupled spin systems in fast exchange can yield a spectrum with strong coupling features.
Influence of ammonium ion and glucose on mAb production in suspension and fixed bed hybridoma cultures.

Abstract Previous work indicated that mAb production by a mouse-mouse hybridoma, grown in a fixed bed of macroporous glass beads with a variable feed glutamine concentration, was correlated only to QvO2. The work reported in this study further investigated the metabolic parameters modulating mAb production using metabolic data from a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) to interpret the behaviour of cells grown in a fixed bed bioreactor (FBR). For a FBR culture grown with a feed glutamine concentration of 3 mmol l−1, QvmAb was correlated to QvO2 and QvGln. However, if the feed glutamine concentration was switched between 1 and 3 mmol l−1, the above relationship did not hold, probably because QvO2 was at or near its maximum value. For both the FBR and CSTR, switches in the feed glutamine concentration suggested that maximum QvmAb values were associated with glucose concentrations above 12.8 mmol l−1 and an ammonium concentration of 2.0–2.5 mmol l−1.