cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Importance of IT Controls for Casino Slot Machines: A Case of Social Engineering and Software Based Fraud

We explore the case of a casino that appeared to have adequate information systems and cash management controls in place, yet, nevertheless, became the victim of social engineering based overrides of software controls yielding a $420,000 potential loss. This case is illustrative of the need to recognize that effective IT auditing and control implementations in a complex setting, such as the multifaceted casino business environment, may be readily overridden by social engineering. Here, we discuss the background to the case, casino operations in general, fraud at casinos, general as well as IT-specific controls for casinos, and cover how a slot machine works. Finally, we present the Birdland Casino slot machine scam based on data collected from a site visit and examination of legal documents, and examine the implications of this fraud in terms of an analysis of the collapse of general IT controls resulting from social engineering in complex environments.
Multilevel Learning in Nonprofit Organizations: Exploring the Individual, Group, and Organizational Effects of a Capacity Building Program

The purpose of this study was to (1) explore the individual level effects of a capacity building program targeting nonprofit leaders and (2) examine the extent to which the individual level effects of the program have become incorporated into organizations through shared understanding, processes, and structures. Through collection of data at two times over the 2-year capacity-building program, this study was able capture evolving insights from program participants. This study contributes to the capacity building and nonprofit education literature by examining the individual learning outcomes of program participants and assessing the extent to which individual learning is integrated into organizational practice. Subscribe to JNEL
Maternal Gdf3 is an obligatory cofactor in Nodal signaling for embryonic axis formation in zebrafish.

All vertebrates – animals with backbones like fish and humans – have body plans with three clear axes: head-to-tail, back-to-front and left-to-right. Animals lay down these plans as embryos, when signaling molecules bind to receptors on the surface of their cells. These signaling molecules include related proteins called “Nodal” and “Growth and Differentiation Factors”. However, there has been much debate in the field of developmental biology about whether these proteins work together or independently during the early development of vertebrates. Zebrafish are often used to study animal development, and Bisgrove et al. decided to test whether these fish need a Growth and Differentiation Factor known as Gdf3 by deleting it using genome editing. It turns out that zebrafish can survive and develop as normal without the gene for Gdf3, just as long as their mothers still had a working copy of the gene. Yet, when the offspring of mutant females did not inherit the instructions to make Gdf3 from their mothers, they died within a couple of days. This was true even if the offspring inherited a working copy of the gene from their fathers. Bisgrove et al. then went on to show that embryos from a mutant mother could be saved with an injection of short-lived RNA molecules that include the instructions to make some Gdf3 proteins. The injected mutant embryos could live to adulthood. This shows that Gdf3 is only needed during the embryo’s early development. Further experiments suggested that Gdf3 does cannot activate its receptors on its own. Instead, it is likely that Gdf3 interacts with Nodal to form a two-protein complex that activates the receptors. Two other groups of researchers have independently reported similar findings. Mutations affecting proteins very similar to Gdf3 have been found in people with congenital heart defects. By revealing the interaction between Gdf3 and Nodal, these new findings could help scientists to understand the genetic causes of this condition in more detail. Further studies using the mutant zebrafish could also be used to explore the causes of other developmental diseases.
Plantations, Peddlers, and Nature Protection: The Transnational Origins of Indonesia's Orangutan Crisis, 1910–1930

This article examines the geographies and politics of the global trade in orangutans in the name of science and entertainment in the first half of the twentieth century, along the background of the growing international nature protection movement. In doing so, it draws attention to historical processes that led to environmental conservation in northern Sumatra. It looks at some of the causes of the wildlife trade, linking animal-human engagement in northern Sumatra in the early twentieth century to large-scale agricultural development. During this period, wildlife traders brought shipments of orangutans from northern Sumatra to Europe and elsewhere around the world. The orangutan trade and the arrival of large numbers of apes in Europe broadly influenced material practices and decisions central to the colonial project. This included the tightening of borders and surveillance in the ports and on land, as well as the creation of wildlife protection laws and policies that regulated human relationships with the environment in colonial Indonesia.
Beyond anarchy: logics of political organization, hierarchy, and international structure

Many scholars now argue for deemphasizing the importance of international anarchy in favor of focusing on hierarchy – patterns of super- and subordination – in world politics. We argue that only one kind of vertical stratification, governance hierarchy, actually challenges the states-under-anarchy framework. But the existence of such hierarchies overturns a number of standard ways of studying world politics. In order to theorize, and identify, variation in governance structures in world politics, we advocate a relational approach that focuses on three dimensions of hierarchy: the heterogeneity of contracting, the degree of autonomy enjoyed by central authorities, and the balance of investiture between segments and the center. This generates eight ideal-typical forms: national-states and empires, as well as symmetric and asymmetric variants of federations, confederations, and conciliar systems. We argue that political formations – governance assemblages – with elements of these ideal types are likely ubiquitous at multiple scales of world politics, including within, across, and among sovereign states. Our framework suggests that world politics is marked by a heterarchy of nested and overlapping political structures. We discuss broad implications for international-relations theory and comparative politics, and illustrate our approach through an analysis of contemporary China and the evolution of the British ‘Empire’ in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Antigen delivery systems for analysing host immune responses and for vaccine development

Overall, the meeting was timely and worthwhile. It is evident that there is a need for comparative studies to establish a firm foundation for future work. This is particularly important since it appears that the responses observed are influenced by the particular strain used for attenuation, the means of attenuation, the antigen-presentation system employed and the animal most immunized. In this last regard, one must recognize that most work to date has been with inbred strains of mice which differ from the genetic diversity of most hosts that are the intended beneficiaries of the immunization strategies being developed.
Preliminary evidence of the short-term effectiveness of alternative treatments for low back pain

In recent years, there has been increased popularity for use of alternative treatment modalities for low back pain with limited investigation into whether they are effective in returning the worker to normal functionality. The objective of this study was to investigate the short-term impact on the restoration of the functional ability of common treatment modalities including physical therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic treatment, and massage therapy. A within subjects design was used that compared a baseline assessment to three follow-up assessments: immediately following treatment, two days and seven days post treatment. Individuals suffering from low back pain were recruited from local clinics that specialize in one of the four treatment modalities. Twenty-four individuals who were suffering from low back pain and had started one of the treatment modalities were recruited into the study. Three-dimensional motions (ROM, velocity, and acceleration) during a standardized functional capacity protocol were measured prior to and during three follow-up periods. The results show the effectiveness of the treatments was dependent upon time and were predominantly in the non-sagittal motion planes (velocities and accelerations). Individual subjective pain levels also indicate all the treatment modalities were effective after the 1-week follow-up. Findings suggest those modalities primarily focused on the back musculature (acupuncture, massage, physical therapy) were more effective with respect to functional capacity restoration. The current results provide a quantitative evaluation, based upon trunk dynamics, of the effectiveness of these four treatment modalities.
Reforming the Reformers: A Different Approach to Access Issues

Access to justice was adopted by donors as part of their justice reform assistance as early as the 1990s. It has become more important in recent years because of a belief that the former, top-down reforms (helping institutions reform themselves) had not worked, either in improving overall performance or in ensuring that poor citizens are equally benefited. This chapter takes a different look at access issues, especially as they relate to helping people resolve ordinary civil disputes. It starts with a dilemma faced by many developing countries—the limits of the traditional, court-centered models of dispute resolution in the context of increasing demand and limited resources. It presents a third way for advancing justice reform, combining bottom-up, top-down, and policy approaches to the problem of how not only to deal with disputes but also to reduce their occurrence. It thus redefines the issues—not just conflict resolution but conflict prevention as a means of addressing rising demand for “access to justice.” It also examines differences in civil law and common law traditions, but finds their impact to be minor. Country resources, logistical obstacles, and some within-tradition variations are more important, but both traditions lend themselves to the approach.
More on the Metabolic Autopsy

We were interested by the paper of Chace et al. (1) and the accompanying editorial (2) on the postmortem diagnosis of organic acid and fatty acid defects by analysis of acyl carnitines in dried-blood-spot specimens and fully support the need for metabolic investigations in this situation. The group reports 66 presumptive or confirmed diagnoses from a total of 7058 postmortem specimens (0.9%). The major diagnoses were fatty acid oxidation defects, …
The Neuroscience of Evidentiary Rules: The Case of the Present Sense Impression

The Federal Rules of Evidence (FRE) determine what evidence federal juries see and don’t see, with most states having adopted rules modeled on the FRE. Despite playing a pivotal role in the accuracy, efficiency, and legitimacy of trials, the rules are premised on untested psychological assumptions. The Present Sense Impression (PSI), is an exception to the general ban against hearsay when it is believed that the traditional risks of errors in perception, memory, narration, and deceit associated with hearsay are lessened. The PSI assumes that contemporaneity is a safeguard against deceit. Here, we used novel behavioral paradigms and electroencephalography (EEG) measures to assess several event-related potential components (ERP) associated with deception. These ERPs were used to test the hypothesis assumed by the PSI exception that distinct cognitive processes underlie lies about contemporaneous events, lies about past events, and truthful responses. Our results suggest that while contemporaneity is not a safeguard against deceit per se, as the PSI assumes, people do switch cognitive strategies when lying about a contemporaneous event compared to a past event and that these strategies are well suited to the safeguards established by the PSI. Specifically, when lying in the moment individuals utilize a slower, more memory intensive lie cognitive strategy that may be more easily detected by a causal third party observer. When lying about a past event, however, individuals shift to a faster, less memory intensive cognitive strategy that may result in fewer behavioral tells but could signify less overall encoding of the event such that cross examination may be effective at uncovering the deceit.
Silver nanoparticles at sublethal concentrations disrupt cytoskeleton and neurite dynamics in cultured adult neural stem cells

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have potent antimicrobial properties at concentrations far below those that cause cytotoxic and genotoxic effects in eukaryotic cells. This property has resulted in the widespread use of AgNPs in consumer products, leading to environmental exposures at sub-lethal levels through ingestion and inhalation. Although the toxicity of AgNPs has been well characterized, effects of environmentally relevant exposures have not been extensively investigated in spite of studies that suggest accumulation of silver in tissues, including brain. To assess the sublethal effects of AgNPs on neural cell function, we used cultured SVZ-NSCs, a model of neurogenesis and neural cells. Throughout life, neural stem cells (NSCs) in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricles proliferate and migrate via the rostral migratory stream to the olfactory bulb. Once there, they complete differentiation into neurons and glia and integrate into existing circuits. This process of neurogenesis is tightly regulated, and is considered a part of healthy brain function. We found that 1.0 μg/mL AgNP exposure in cultured differentiating NSCs induced the formation of f-actin inclusions, indicating a disruption of actin function. These inclusions did not co-localize with AgNPs, and therefore do not represent sequestered nanoparticles. Further, AgNP exposure led to a reduction in neurite extension and branching in live cells, cytoskeleton-mediated processes vital to neurogenesis. We conclude that AgNPs at sublethal concentrations disrupt actin dynamics in SVZ-NSCs, and that an associated disruption in neurogenesis may contribute to documented deficits in brain function following AgNP exposure.
Availability of Recently Described Ptychadena (Anura: Ptychadenidae) Nomina from Ethiopia

Frogs of the genus Ptychadena (Boulenger, 1917) have long been identified as harboring cryptic diversity and comprising numerous species-complexes (Largen 1997; Zimkus et al. 2017), and many authors have recognized the particularly high hidden richness in the Ethiopian highlands (Largen 1997; see Largen Spawls 2010 and refs. within). This cryptic diversity was confirmed by recent molecular studies (Freilich et al. 2014; Smith et al. 2017a, Reyes-Velasco et al. 2018). Those authors identified a congruent set of evolutionarily distinct candidate species using both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, and described the geographic and ecological isolation of these species in detail (Freilich et al. 2014; Smith et al. 2017a).
A case of silent sinus syndrome following a history of multiple facial traumas

Silent sinus syndrome (SSS) is a rare condition characterised by painless enophthalmos and hypoglobus (inferior displacement of the globe within the orbit) from collapse of the ipsilateral maxillar...
A New Method for the Classification of Luxury Fashion Brands

In an attempt to rethink the ranking of luxury brands in the market not solely based on revenues reported but taking into account the level of innovation that each one brings forth, the ASCEND framework is introduced. After clarifying its various elements, three different examples of fashion brands are discussed in relation to the framework. This elucidates each brand’s competitive advantage. An additional benefit of using the ASCEND framework is that brands that have clearly focused on expanding a second field (other than design) are brands that capitalize on early manifestations of weak signals of changes in consumer behavior in the market. This could become a tool for brand owners who wish to rethink the brand’s positioning in the industry, in the competitive landscape, and the world, in general. It clarifies pricing strategy from the consumer’s point of view as well.
To Dream the Impossible Dream: The Commitment by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review to Rewrite the Axioms of Fundamental Measurement for Hemophilia A and Bladder Cancer Value Claims

Understandably, after 30 years of ignoring the axioms of fundamental measurement, advocates of creating approximate information through the construction of lifetime cost-per-QALY worlds are somewhat unnerved by the realization that their methodology is incompatible with those axioms. This is made all the more unnerving when it is pointed out that this incompatibility was pointed out over 30 years ago, following the formalization of those axioms almost 80 years ago. Why this was overlooked is a mystery. The result was a commitment to the application of ordinal utility and other patient reported outcome measures to support claims for response to competing therapies; most egregiously, the advocacy of cost-per-QALY lifetime models and willingness to pay thresholds to support recommendations for pricing and access to pharmaceutical products and devices. Although this incompatibility has been pointed out in respect of simulation modeling, to groups such as the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) they press on, producing evidence reports and recommendations for emerging products that fail the standards of normal science. While these are an analytical dead end, ICER has nowhere else to go. This is their business model; to admit otherwise would mean withdrawing their many evidence reports and admit they were wrong. ICER has rejected this; rather it has decided, together with its academic consultants, to challenge the axioms of fundamental measurement, to produce a parallel measurement universe that can sustain QALYs and the imaginary simulation lifetime models. The purpose here is to make clear that ICER is manifestly wrong and that there is no way it can maintain its credibility in pursuing this path. This is achieved by a deconstruction of the arguments put forward by ICER to defend its new vision of the axioms of fundamental measurement, a vision which provides a case study in the distinction between justified belief and opinion. Fortunately, we have the framework for a new paradigm in value assessment; a paradigm that recognizes the standards of normal science and rejects belief in an alternative reality consistent with fundamental measurement axioms.
Mitochondrial protein adduct and superoxide generation are prerequisites for early activation of c-jun N-terminal kinase within the cytosol after an acetaminophen overdose in mice

Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the United States and formation of APAP-protein adducts, mitochondrial oxidant stress and activation of the mitogen activated protein (MAP) kinase c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) are critical for APAP-induced cell death. However, direct evidence linking these mechanistic features are lacking and were investigated by examining the early temporal course of these changes in mice after 300 mg/kg APAP. Protein adducts were detectable in the liver (0.05-0.1 nmol/mg protein) by 15 and 30 min after APAP, which increased (>500 %) selectively in mitochondria by 60 min. Cytosolic JNK activation was only evident at 60 min, and was significantly attenuated by scavenging superoxide specifically in the cytosol by TEMPO treatment. Treatment of mouse hepatocytes with APAP revealed mitochondrial superoxide generation within 15 min, accompanied by hydrogen peroxide production without change in mitochondrial respiratory function. The oxidant stress preceded JNK activation and its mitochondrial translocation. Inhibitor studies identified the putative source of mitochondrial superoxide as complex III, which released superoxide towards the intermembrane space after APAP resulting in activation of JNK in the cytosol. Our studies provide direct evidence of mechanisms involved in mitochondrial superoxide generation after NAPQI-adduct formation and its activation of the MAP kinase cascade in the cytosol, which are critical features of APAP hepatotoxicity.
AhR Activation Leads to Alterations in the Gut Microbiome with Consequent Effect on Induction of Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells in a CXCR2-Dependent Manner.

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a potent ligand for AhR and a known carcinogen. While AhR activation by TCDD leads to significant immunosuppression, how this translates into carcinogenic signal is unclear. Recently, we demonstrated that activation of AhR by TCDD in naive C57BL6 mice leads to massive induction of myeloid derived-suppressor cells (MDSCs). In the current study, we investigated the role of the gut microbiota in TCDD-mediated MDSC induction. TCDD caused significant alterations in the gut microbiome, such as increases in Prevotella and Lactobacillus, while decreasing Sutterella and Bacteroides. Fecal transplants from TCDD-treated donor mice into antibiotic-treated mice induced MDSCs and increased regulatory T-cells (Tregs). Injecting TCDD directly into antibiotic-treated mice also induced MDSCs, although to a lesser extent. These data suggested that TCDD-induced dysbiosis plays a critical role in MDSC induction. Interestingly, treatment with TCDD led to induction of MDSCs in the colon and undetectable levels of cysteine. MDSCs suppressed T cell proliferation while reconstitution with cysteine restored this response. Lastly, blocking CXC chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2) impeded TCDD-mediated MDSC induction. Our data demonstrate that AhR activation by TCDD triggers dysbiosis which, in turn, regulates, at least in part, induction of MDSCs.
Cobalt-Induced Toxicity and Spasticity Secondary to Hip Arthroplasty: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Cobalt is known to produce a variety of symptoms in patients who accumulate a toxic amount in their blood. Cobalt poisoning can arise from metal implants due to wear and tear on the metal implant surfaces, but implant deterioration has not yet been reported to cause muscle spasticity. A 45-year-old male patient with a medical history of multiple sclerosis (MS) and bilateral hip arthroplasty presented with spasticity that persisted despite administration of anti-spasmodic medication and intrathecal baclofen. Concerns of high cobalt levels, confirmed via blood testing, led to revisions of both of his hip prosthesis, which alleviated his muscle spasms. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of muscle spasticity associated with increased blood cobalt levels. Reduction in the patient's spasticity was associated with prosthesis revision and subsequent reduction in blood cobalt, suggesting that cobalt was involved in the pathogenesis or at minimum worsening of his spasticity given his concurrent MS. Review of the literature suggests that increased levels of cobalt can interfere with metabolism in neurons and damage muscle fibers, providing possible pathological mechanisms for the patient's spasticity.
Interleukin-1β Suppresses Gastrin via Primary Cilia and Induces Antral Hyperplasia.

Background & Aims Helicobacter pylori infection in humans typically begins with colonization of the gastric antrum. The initial Th1 response occasionally coincides with an increase in gastrin secretion. Subsequently, the gastritis segues to chronic atrophic gastritis, metaplasia, dysplasia and distal gastric cancer. Despite these well characterized clinical events, the link between inflammatory cytokines and non-cardia gastric cancer remains difficult to study in mouse models. Prior studies have demonstrated that overexpression of the Hedgehog (HH) effector GLI2 induces loss of gastrin (atrophy) and antral hyperplasia. To determine the link between specific cytokines, HH signaling and pre-neoplastic changes in the gastric antrum. Methods Mouse lines were created to conditionally direct IL1β or IFN-γ to the antrum using the Gastrin-CreERT2 and Tet activator. Primary cilia, which transduces HH signaling, on G cells were disrupted by deleting the ciliary motor protein KIF3a. Phenotypic changes were assessed by histology and western blots. A subclone of GLUTag enteroendocrine cells selected for gastrin expression and the presence of primary cilia was treated with recombinant SHH, IL1β or IFN-γ with or without kif3a siRNA. Results IFN-γ increased gastrin and induced antral hyperplasia. However, antral expression of IL1β suppressed tissue and serum gastrin, while also inducing antral hyperplasia. IFN-γ treatment of GLUTAg cells suppressed GLI2 and induced gastrin, without affecting cilia length. By contrast, IL1β treatment doubled primary cilia length, induced GLI2 and suppressed gastrin gene expression. Knocking down kif3a in GLUTAg cells mitigated SHH or IL1β suppression of gastrin. Conclusions Overexpression of IL1β in the antrum was sufficient to induce antral hyperplasia coincident with suppression of gastrin via primary cilia. ORCID: #0000-0002-6559-8184
Feminism, Absolutism, and Jansenism: Louis XIV and the Port-Royal Nuns

Introduction 1. Jansenism as a 'woman problem' 2. Controversy and reform at Port Royal 3. Jansenism's political turn, 1652-61 4. The limits to obedience, 1661-4 5. A feminist response to absolutism, 1664-9 6. The unsettled peace, 1669-79 7. A royal victory, 1679-1709 Conclusion.
Values of the Carmichael Function Equal to a Sum of Two Squares

In this note, we determine the order of growth of the number of positive integers n 6 x such that λ(n) is a sum of two square numbers, where λ(n) is the Carmichael function.
Private Parties, Public Functions and the New Administrative Law

This chapter describes a variety of public-private arrangements that exemplify the concept of "mixed" administration in which regulatory responsibility is shared. The most common example of public-private cooperation in governance takes the form of agencies contracting with private non-profit and for-profit firms to provide social services. Privatization is an imprecise term; scholars use it to describe very different phenomena, including the sale of state-owned assets, deregulation, and contracting out the provision of goods and services. A contractual system relies on judicial enforcement of the private law of contract at the behest of the supervising agency rather than judicial enforcement of administrative law principles at the behest of private citizens. The imposition of rigorous legal procedures, together with oversight by a body which is itself accountable to the electorate are not the only mechanisms for ensuring the legitimacy of public-private arrangements.
Neural Networks and Image Data Management

This paper describes the research prototype of a postrelational DBMS CHINOOK being implemented at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. CHINOOK is intended to manage ultra-large databases of digitized images and digitized one-dimensional data as well as text and tables. This paper discusses our neural network based approach to the image data management in CHINOOK. We report our initial results on neural network generated image signatures which are the basis of CHINOOK image search and retrieval mechanism. We expect the image signatures to support the retrieval of images by their content.
The Impact of Unemployment on Alternative Poverty Measures

The analysis uses data from the March Current Population Survey to estimate state-level cross-section/time-series models of the effects of unemployment on alternative poverty indexes. The indexes include the official headcount rate and alternatives based on improved identification and aggregation procedures. The estimated effects turn critically on the measurement approaches, both for the total sample population and for selected sub-groups. For some broader, distribution-sensitive indexes, the declines in unemployment of the last decade had no significant impact on poverty. The findings thus provide important lessons for researchers exploring the links between economic conditions and poverty and for policymakers developing strategies to reduce poverty.
Asteroidal source of ordinary chondrites (Meteoritical Society Presidential Address 1984)

The orbital evolution of asteroidal fragments injected into the 3-1 Kirkwood gap resonance at 2.5 AU is investigated on the basis of a Monte Carlo simulation. The diameters of the fragments in the simulation were between 10 cm and 20 km, and it was assumed that the fragments cross the orbital path of the earth every one million years. The effects of close encounter planetary perturbations, the nu dot 6 secular resonance, and the ablative effects of the earth atmosphere were also taken into account. It is found that: (1) the predicted meteorite orbits closely matched the known orbits of ordinary chondrites; and (2) the total flux was in approximate agreement with the observed fall rate of ordinary chondrites. About 90 percent of the predicted impacting bodies were created by fragmentation of larger earth crossing asteroidal fragments, the largest of which were observed in the vicinity of the Apollo-Amor objects. The numerical results are presented in a series of graphs.
Clinical Use of the FemAssist Device in Female Urinary Incontinence

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the safety and effectiveness of a new, simple noninvasive device, “FemAssist” for women suffering from urinary incontinence. METHODS: The “FemAssist” is a dome-shaped medical grade silicon device intended to be worn over the external urethral meatus and held in place by suction and an adhesive gel Thirty eight women with varying degrees of genuine stress urinary incontinence (GSUI) or mixed incontinence on multichannel urodynamic testing were fitted with one of two sizes of “FemAssist” with regard to their anatomy and dexterity. RESULTS: Thus far, of the 38 women who have completed the study, there have been no reported significant increases in bacteriuria or urinary tract infection rates. Over half of the women reported an improvement in the quality of life including comfort, convenience, and overall satisfaction. The device was worn for a total of 886 days by the groups 82% of these were dry days. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary study suggests that the “FemAssist” device is safe and effective for some women with urinary incontinence.
Viability of Giardia cysts suspended in lake, river, and tap water

Numerous waterborne outbreaks of giardiasis have occurred since 1965, yet little or no information has been reported on the viability of Giardia cysts in different aquatic environments. We have studied the viability of Giardia muris cysts suspended in lake, river, and tap water, while also monitoring water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and other water quality parameters. Fecal pellets containing G. muris cysts were placed in glass vials covered with filter paper and exposed to (i) lake water at 15 ft (ca. 4.6 m) and 30 ft (ca. 9.2 m), (ii) river water, (iii) tap water, and (iv) distilled water stored under laboratory conditions. At 3, 7, 14, 28, 56, and 84 days, two vials from each environment were removed, and cyst viability was determined by (i) fluorogenic dye exclusion, (ii) production of giardiasis in an animal, and (iii) cyst morphology by Nomarski microscopy. In the fall, the cysts suspended at 30 ft in lake water remained viable for up to 56 days whereas cysts stored at 15 ft were nonviable after day 28. The G. muris cysts exposed to river water remained viable up to 28 days as determined by the production of giardiasis in mice. G. muris cysts suspended in tap water showed no signs of viability after 14 days, while cysts serving as controls (exposed to refrigerated distilled water) remained viable for up to 56 days. In the winter, Giardia cysts suspended in either lake or river water were viable for 56 to 84 days whereas cysts exposed to tap water were nonviable by day 14.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Science & the Senses: Perceptions & Deceptions

Science requires the acquisition and analysis of empirical (sense-derived) data. Given the same physical objects or phenomena, the sense organs of all people do not respond equally to these stimuli, nor do their minds interpret sensory signals identically. Therefore, teachers should develop lectures on human sensory systems that include some common examples of sensory limitations, variations, deficiencies, malfunctions, and diseases (as discussed herein) because they have important implications for conducting scientific investigations, science education, and introspection that are seldom included in biology textbooks. Students need to be made aware of the human tendency to self deception in order to avoid the cognitive error of confirmation bias.
Roles of Granule Size in Over-Granulation During High Shear Wet Granulation

A mechanistic understanding of the over-granulation problem during high shear wet granulation (HSWG) process can guide efficient development of robust formulation and manufacturing process. Using microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) as a model compound, we demonstrate that size enlargement is an important mechanism for over-granulation in HSWG. A higher granulation water level results in larger granules and lower tabletability. With increasing water, granules enlarge sharply when water level is higher than 65%. Granule tabletability deteriorates with increasing granule size and becomes over-granulated when more than 70% water is used. For a batch of over-granulated granule that is ground and sieved, tabletability of the sieved fractions decreases with increasing granule size. The tabletability of the finest fraction (45-90 microm) is nearly four times that of the largest fraction (300-425 microm). These results show that size reduction can be an effective strategy to address the problem of over-granulation.
An open-label study of tiagabine as augmentation therapy for anxiety.

Background. At least 50% of patients with anxiety disorders experience only partial response to pharmacotherapy and require augmentation therapy. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the CNS, and agents that modulate GABA neurotransmission have shown promise in the treatment of anxiety disorders and are often used as augmentation agents.Objective. This study evaluated tiagabine, a selective GABA reuptake inhibitor (SGRI), as augmentation therapy.Methods. This 8-week, open-label study enrolled patients who remained symptomatic despite adequate drug trials for treatment of anxiety symptoms. Tiagabine augmentation therapy was initiated at 4 mg/d (taken in 2 doses; one in the morning with breakfast and one in the evening with a snack) for 2 days and increased to 8 mg/d for 10 days. Dose was then adjusted according to efficacy/tolerability in increments of 2 mg every 3 days up to a maximum of 20 mg/d. Effect was assessed using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A),...
Testing empirical propositions about shatterbelts, 1945–76

Abstract The idea that some geographic regions, known as shatterbelts, are more conflict-prone than others has appeared and resurfaced in geopolitical writings throughout the 20th century. Yet much of that work has been tautological or impressionistic. This article attempts to sort out the conceptual components of shatterbelts from their hypothesized consequences, and to test propositions about the effects of shatterbelts. The results indicate that shatterbelts are more likely than other regions to be the setting for interstate wars, but this is largely because they also generate more militarized disputes that can go to war, rather than because of any greater likelihood that those lesser conflicts will escalate. Internal conflicts were also more common in shatterbelts, although the effect was more modest than with interstate conflict. The portion of conflicts, especially interstate wars, that involve outside intervention is greater in shatterbelts. Yet, given that intervention occurs, conflicts in shatterbelts (with the exception of interstate wars) are not more likely to expand further or to include major powers as the intervening parties. Shatterbelt conflicts, both internal and external, were also generally considerably longer and bloodier than conflicts in other regions. Possible theoretical explanations and implications for future research are discussed.
An executive system implemented as a finite-state automaton

The 473L command and control system used by the Air Force permits many operators to access large data files through the use of a computer. The man-machine interface is satisfied by several communication consoles from which operators may enter queries and view replies. A data link permits remote stations to send messages, status reports and inventories directly to the computer. The information received over the online data link is used to update the data files which are stored on disk.The 473L programming system is divided into an Executive Control Program and five components with different processing priorities. These priorities permit the system to be most sensitive to the console inputs and permit the operators at all the consoles to time share the central processor. The Executive Control Program provides for the orderly transitions of control among the programming system components. The major emphasis of the paper is on the technique of using the definition of a finite-state automaton for organizing the Executive Control Program.
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Maladaptive Behaviour in Young Children with Autistic Disorder.

Background Children with Autistic Disorder (AD) evidence more co-occurring maladaptive behaviours than their typically developing peers and peers with intellectual disability because of other aetiologies. The present study investigated the prevalence of Clinically Significant maladaptive behaviours during early childhood and identified at-risk subgroups of young children with AD.
MARKET INSTITUTIONS, PRODUCT IDENTITIES, AND VALUATION OF CALIFORNIA PREMIUM WINES

This study develops an institutional approach to understand how market institutions differentiate the identities and statuses of products and producers and eventually affect the valuation of products. Quantitative and qualitative evidence drawn from the California premium wine market shows that category-based product attributes that signify exclusivity, comply with a high institutional standard, or indicate a high rank in the classification system enhance wine price. Moreover, these attributes have symbolic values in social consumption particularly in a high-tier market segment and do not necessarily function as credible quality signals. These findings reveal the institutional bases of the economic order and status hierarchy in markets and have broad theoretical implications.
Sustainable Development Strategy for the Agri-food Sector and Rural Area – Horizon 2030

Abstract Following the evolution of the Romanian agri-food sector and rural area after more than two decades from December 1989 and at seven years from Romania's accession to the EU, and investigating it in a large enough time period for the consolidation of Romania's agrarian structures, taking into consideration the too slow progress of the overall national agri-food system, the still large discrepancies and non-convergence between our country's agriculture and that of the other EU countries, the existence of large severe rural poverty areas, as well as the precarity of Romania's population's food security, in the present paper, the Institute of Agricultural Economics of the Romanian Academy proposes the agri-food and rural development strategy of Romania. The rural strategy establishes the guidelines for the agri-food sector and rural area sustainable development, as one of the basic components of resuming economic growth in Romania, as conditioned by: ensuring national food security and guaranteeing food safety for Romania's population; the natural, material and human resources of Romania's agriculture, and the ecological suitability of Romania's agricultural resources to supply high quality agri-food products on the domestic and foreign markets.
An anomalous course for the hydrogen peroxide oxidation of “ate» complexes of 9-borabicyclo [3.3.l]- nonane

In contrast to alkaline hydrogen peroxide oxidations of B-alkyl-9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane (B-alkyl-9-BBN) derivatives, which yield only the corresponding alcohol and cis-l,5-cyclooctanediol, oxidations of the lithiumdialkyl- 9-BBN “ate” complexes give a mixture of products containing substantial amounts of cis-bicyclo[3.3.0] octan-l-ol. The rearrangement of the bicyclo [3.3.1]nonyl structure to the bicyclo[3.3.0]octyl framework apparently involves an attack by the hydrogen peroxide on the bridgehead hydrogen of the organoborane followed by concurrent or subsequent bond migrating from boron to carbon.
Providing Care for the “Whole Patient” in the Cancer Setting: The Psycho-Oncology Consultation Model of Patient Care

This paper describes a psycho-oncology consultation model of care (POCM) that provides a framework for psychosocial clinical work with cancer patients. Goals for care are addressed that follow the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine report advocating care for the “whole patient.” Specific goals include reducing distress and symptoms, building on the patient’s existing strengths, enhancing self-efficacy, expanding the patient’s repertoire of healthy coping strategies, and addressing informational needs. Specific interventions are described that clinicians can implement in order to address the above goals. The paper also addresses the unique challenges encountered in working with cancer patients, as well as programmatic difficulties that are inherent in providing mental health care in a medical setting.
Ondansetron versus Promethazine to Treat Acute Undifferentiated Nausea in the Emergency Department: A Randomized, Double‐blind, Noninferiority Trial

Objectives: The authors sought to compare ondansetron and promethazine among emergency department (ED) patients with undifferentiated nausea. The hypothesis was that ondansetron was not inferior to promethazine and that rates of adverse effects were similar. Methods: This was a randomized double-blind noninferiority clinical trial conducted in an urban academic ED. A convenience sample of nonpregnant adults with at least 40 mm of self-reported nausea measured on a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS) were enrolled. Patients who had already received more than 1 L of intravenous fluid or an antiemetic agent were excluded. Subjects were block-randomized in groups of 10 to either 4 mg of ondansetron or 25 mg of promethazine delivered intravenously. The primary outcome was change in nausea over 30 minutes. The authors used a 15-mm margin of noninferiority. Secondary endpoints included changes in anxiety, sedation, and other adverse effects. Analyses included t-tests, tests for proportions, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: A total of 120 subjects completed the study, 60 in each arm. Baseline nausea, anxiety, and sedation scores were similar. Ondansetron and promethazine reduced nausea similarly (ondansetron )34 mm, promethazine )36 mm; difference )2 mm; 95% CI = )13 to 8 mm). The reduction in anxiety was similar (ondansetron )13 mm, promethazine )14 mm; difference )1 mm; 95% CI = )10 to 10 mm). Promethazine was associated with significantly more sedation than ondansetron (ondansetron 5 mm, promethazine 19 mm; difference 14 mm; 95% CI = 5 to 24 mm). There were no cases of akathisia in the ondansetron group and 2 cases in the promethazine group. Conclusions: Promethazine and ondansetron have similar efficacy in reducing nausea among ED patients. Change in anxiety was similar, but promethazine was associated with greater sedation. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2008; 15:209‐215 a 2008 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Staying the course: chemical signal spatial properties and concentration mediate cross-stream motion in turbulent plumes

SUMMARY This study examined the role of broadly distributed sensor populations in chemosensory searching, especially cross-stream heading adjustment. We used three-dimensional laser-induced fluorescence to collect chemical concentration data simultaneously with behavior observations of actively tracking blue crabs ( Callinectes sapidus ). Our analysis indicates that the spatial distribution of the odorant concentration field is necessary and sufficient to mediate correct cross-stream motion, although concentration provides information that supplements that obtained from the spatial distribution. Crab movement is continually adjusted to maintain an upstream heading, with corrections toward the source modulated only in the presence of chemical cues. Crabs detect and respond to shifts in the position of the center-of-mass (COM) of the odorant concentration distribution as small as 5% of the leg span, which corresponds to ∼0.8–0.9 cm. The reaction time after a 5% threshold shift in the position of the COM is in the range of 2–4 s. Data also indicate that these steering responses are dependent on stimulus history or other characteristics of the plume, with crabs taking longer to respond in conditions with large-scale spatial meanders. Although cross-stream motion is determined by chemical signal inputs to receptors on the walking legs, crabs do make rotational movements in response to chemical signals impinging on the antennules. These rotational movements do not affect the direction of travel, but rather, determine the crab9s body angle with respect to the flow. Interestingly, these body angles seem to represent a compromise between reducing drag and obtaining better chemical signal information, and this trade-off is resolved differently under different plume conditions.
Dose- and time-response relationships of triethylenemelamine-induced chromosomal aberrations in rat bone marrow cells.

Groups of 18 male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered single i.p. doses of 0.00, 0.125, 0.25 or 0.50 mg/kg of triethylenemelamine (TEM). 6 rats per treatment group were killed 6, 24 or 48 h after dosing, and bone marrow cells were collected and prepared for cytogenetic analysis. Under the present conditions, 0.25 mg/kg with sampling of bone marrow cells 24 h after treatment appeared to represent optimal conditions for using TEM as a positive control agent in the rat in vivo cytogenetic assay as described.
Making It at the Top: Women and Minority Faculty in the Academic Labor Market

In this article, we argue that the small number of women and minority faculty in tenured and tenure-track positions in elite research universities is not simply the result of overt racism and sexism. Nor is it simply the result of a relatively small pool of qualified candidates. Rather, significant barriers to women and minority faculty are found in the character of the academic market itself. We focus on the academic market as an internal labor market; the ways in which most faculty jobs are filled in that market; the reliance on custom and precedence in the market; the nature of the competition for faculty in the market; important ignorance problems in the market; the absence of explicit job descriptions and formal evaluation mechanisms; and the ways in which considerations of cost advantages to management and the structure of allocation in the academic internal market may work against women and minority faculty.
Zinc ferrite nanoparticles as MRI contrast agents

Mixed spinel hydrophobic ZnxFe1−xO·Fe2O3 (up to x = 0.34) nanoparticles encapsulated in polymeric micelles exhibited increased T2 relaxivity and sensitivity of detection over clinically used Feridex®.