cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Paranoia, Conspiracy Panic, and the Regime of Truth

This chapter argues that labeling a point of view as a “conspiracy theory” is a form of panic (“conspiracy panic”) used to discipline thought. “Conspiracy theory” reinforces the “regime of truth,” Foucault’s reference to social mechanisms that discipline thought. The chapter lays out a framework for assessing the truth value of conspiracy theories as, like other social science theories, propositions about social attitudes and behavior, rejecting a priori classification of conspiracy theories as pathological thinking. The framework differentiates how we should regard three kinds of grand (or “world”) conspiracy theories that rarely hold up because they reduce complex, large-scale events to simple explanations of elite manipulation; petty conspiracy theories, that collectively may have significance, e.g., in the way cumulative corruption erodes trust in government; and operational conspiracy theories, that are often plausible and significant and are worthy of serious investigation by historians and social scientists. Like voting, diplomatic negotiations, conflict resolution, propaganda, war-making, legislating, etc., operational conspiracies are ways of doing politics. Most conspiracy theories for and against Trump are operational ones, and they need to be sorted into those that are nativist and fit the “paranoid style” and those that are plausible based motivation, logic, and evidence.
Penile prosthesis biofilm formation and emerging therapies against them

Infections are among the most feared and devastating complications of penile prosthesis infections, often requiring surgical exploration and explantation are prosthesis infections. While the rate of infections have decreased due to antibiotic prophylaxis, antiseptic device preparation, increased sterility in implantation techniques and device modifications, infections still occur at a rate of 1–3%. This article reviews the formation of biofilms on penile prostheses and novel, experimental methods to prevent and eradicate them.
MODULAR PLATFORM TO MODEL PARALLEL INELASTIC MECHANISMS IN RUBBER-LIKE MATERIALS

ABSTRACT Cross-linked rubber-like materials exhibit an elastic behavior with several inelastic features such as the Mullins effect, Payne effect, permanent set, deformation-induced anisotropy, and ...
High-Definition Field Texture Measurements for Predicting Pavement Friction:

Monitoring and managing skid resistance properties are crucial activities to reduce the number of highway accidents and fatalities. However, current methodologies to measure pavement surface fricti...
Building assets from birth: Singapore’s policies

Singapore has created innovative, inclusive and comprehensive asset-building policies designed to promote social stability and development. Asset building from early childhood is an important part of this overall strategy. In 1993, Singapore’s government initiated a universal child asset-building policy, Edusave, which provides resources for improving educational outcomes. Since then, three additional asset-building policies for children have been implemented: the Baby Bonus and Child Development Accounts (CDAs), Post-Secondary Education Accounts (PSEAs) and Medisave, a health savings account. We discuss each of these asset-building accounts for children in Singapore. We point out distinctive features and assess key elements in overall policy design.
Urban Redevelopment, School Closure, and the Abstract Space of Black Schooling in Prince George’s County, Maryland, 1968-1972:

Situated within the literature on school desegregation and black suburbanization, this article uses a framework of spatial production and racial formation to understand how one all-black high schoo...
Application of the New Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Surveillance Criteria for Ventilator-Associated Events to a Cohort of PICU Patients Identifies Different Patients Compared With the Previous Definition and Physician Diagnosis.

OBJECTIVES We sought to compare the performance of the 2008 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Pediatric criteria for ventilator-associated pneumonia, the 2013 Adult Ventilator-Associated Condition criteria, the new Draft Pediatric Ventilator-Associated Condition criteria, and physician-diagnosed ventilator-associated pneumonia in a cohort of PICU patients. DESIGN Secondary analysis of a previously conducted prospective observational study. SETTING PICU within a tertiary care children's hospital between April 1, 2010, and April 1, 2011. PATIENTS Patients between 31 days and 18 years old, mechanically ventilated via endotracheal tube for more than 72 hours and no limitations of care. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Ventilator-associated pneumonia criteria applied in real time and ventilator-associated condition criteria applied retrospectively. Outcomes assessed between cases and noncases within criteria. Of the 133 eligible participants, 24 (18%) had ventilator-associated pneumonia by 2008 Pediatric criteria and 27 (20%) by physician diagnosis. Sixteen (12%) and 10 (8%) had ventilator-associated condition by 2013 Adult and Draft Pediatric criteria, respectively. We found significant overlap between cases identified with 2008 Pediatric criteria and physician diagnosis (p = 0.549), but comparisons between the other definitions revealed that the newer criteria identify different patients than previous Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ventilator-associated pneumonia criteria and physician diagnosis (p < 0.01). Although 20 participants were diagnosed with ventilator-associated pneumonia by 2008 Pediatric criteria and physician diagnosis, only three participants were identified by all four criteria. Three subjects uniquely identified by the Draft Pediatric criteria were noninfectious in etiology. Cases identified by all criteria except Draft Pediatric had higher ratios of actual ICU length of stay to Pediatric Risk of Mortality III-adjusted expected length of stay compared with noncases. CONCLUSIONS The Draft Pediatric criteria identify fewer and different patients than previous ventilator-associated pneumonia criteria or physician diagnosis, potentially missing patients with preventable harms, but also identified patients with potentially preventable noninfectious respiratory deteriorations. Further investigations are required to maximize the identification of patients with preventable harms from mechanical ventilation.
Dynamic Interactive Visualizations: Implications of Seeing, Doing, and Playing for Quantitative Analysis Pedagogy

Teaching relatively complex quantitative topics in statistics, operations management, and management science to undergraduate as well as graduate students can pose numerous pedagogical challenges. ...
Learning to speak

Consider the task of a psychologist studying language development. The phenomenon which he or she attempts to explain is that children begin to do something: to speak. The task is to characterize both what children are doing in learning to speak and the processes which account for this development. The difficulties and issues in language development start right there (Liven & McShane, 1978, p. 919).
Structural approaches for unintentional injury prevention

Unintentional injuries are responsible for a significant proportion of the global burden of disease; according to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2004, unintentional injuries were estimated to have caused more than 3.9 million deaths worldwide. Road traffic injuries (RTIs), poisoning, falls, fire burns, drowning and other unintentional injuries leave tens of millions disabled each year and are thus responsible for over 138 million disability adjusted life years (DALYs), which present tremendous social and economic costs to societies across the globe. The consequences are greatest in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), where over 90 per cent of injury-related deaths occur (WHO 2004).
Acute exacerbations of COPD versus IPF in patients with combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema

Patients with combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) may develop acute exacerbations of IPF (AE-IPF) or COPD (AE-COPD). The incidence and the characteristics of exacerbations in patients with CPFE (e.g., COPD vs IPF) have not been well described. To compare the incidence and rate of exacerbations in patients with CPFE vs. IPF and evaluate their effect on clinical outcomes. Comprehensive clinical data from CPFE and IPF patients were retrospectively reviewed. Baseline characteristics including lung function data, oxygen requirements, and pulmonary hemodynamics, were collected. Acute exacerbation events in both groups were defined clinically and radiographically. In the CPFE group, two patterns of exacerbations were identified. AE-COPD was defined clinically by symptoms of severe airflow obstruction causing respiratory failure and requiring hospitalization. Radiographic data were also defined based on previously published literature. AE-IPF was defined clinically as an acute hypoxic respiratory failure, requiring hospitalization and treatment with high dose corticosteroids. Radiographically, patients had to have a change in baseline imaging including presence of ground-glass opacities, interlobular septal thickening or new consolidations; that is not fully explained by other etiologies. Eighty-five CPFE patients were retrospectively compared to 112 IPF patients. Of 112 patients with IPF; 45 had AE-IPF preceding lung transplant (40.18%) compared to 12 patients in the CPFE group (14.1%) (p < 0.05). 10 patients in the CPFE group experienced AE-COPD (11.7%). Patients with AE-IPF had higher mortality and more likely required mechanical ventilation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) compared to patients with AE-COPD, whether their underlying disease was IPF or CPFE. CPFE patients may experience either AE-IPF or AE-COPD. Patients with CPFE and AE-COPD had better outcomes, requiring less intensive therapy compared to patients with AE-IPF regardless if underlying CPFE or IPF was present. These data suggest that the type of acute exacerbation, AE-COPD vs AE-IPF, has important implications for the treatment and prognosis of patients with CPFE.
In vitro modeling of tumor spheroid interactions to perfused blood vessels

Abstract Tumor angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from existing blood vessels in and around the tumor stroma, is orchestrated by multiple biological factors in the tumor microenvironment, including tumor stromal cells, extracellular matrices, and secreted growth factors. Here, we present the processes to define and optimize the biological conditions for robust interactions between tumor spheroids and engineered blood vessels in a microfluidic organ-on-a-chip device in vitro. Within the device, vascular lumen formation and vessel sprouting in human umbilical vein endothelial cell based engineered blood vessels are observed in a variety of extracellular matrices (collagen, Matrigel, and fibrin), containing metastatic breast tumor cells (MDA-MB-231), and tumor stromal cells (mesenchymal stem cells, and human lung fibroblasts) to show the crosstalk between the tumor spheroids and the perfused blood vasculatures in vitro.
Supramodal Mechanisms of the Cognitive Control Network in Uncertainty Processing

Information processing under conditions of uncertainty requires the involvement of cognitive control. Despite behavioral evidence of the supramodal function (i.e., independent of sensory modality) of cognitive control, the underlying neural mechanism needs to be directly tested. This study used functional magnetic imaging together with visual and auditory perceptual decision-making tasks to examine brain activation as a function of uncertainty in the two stimulus modalities. The results revealed a monotonic increase in activation in the cortical regions of the cognitive control network (CCN) as a function of uncertainty in the visual and auditory modalities. The intrinsic connectivity between the CCN and sensory regions was similar for the visual and auditory modalities. Furthermore, multivariate patterns of activation in the CCN predicted the level of uncertainty within and across stimulus modalities. These findings suggest that the CCN implements cognitive control by processing uncertainty as abstract information independent of stimulus modality.
The Relevance Challenge in Management and Organization Studies: Bringing Organization Development Back In:

We address management and organization studies’ (MOS) mounting relevance challenge of creating knowledge that matters far more to researchers than practitioners. Organization development (OD), a su...
Development of a Colorimetric Sensor for Autonomous, Networked, Real-Time Application

This review describes an ongoing effort intended to develop wireless sensor networks for real-time monitoring of airborne targets across a broad area. The goal is to apply the spectrophotometric characteristics of porphyrins and metalloporphyrins in a colorimetric array for detection and discrimination of changes in the chemical composition of environmental air samples. The work includes hardware, software, and firmware design as well as development of algorithms for identification of event occurrence and discrimination of targets. Here, we describe the prototype devices and algorithms related to this effort as well as work directed at selection of indicator arrays for use with the system. Finally, we review the field trials completed with the prototype devices and discuss the outlook for further development.
Effects of Surfactant Charge and Molecular Structure on Wettability Alteration of Calcite: Insights from Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Wettability alteration of oil-wet calcite by surfactants was studied by means of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The simulations use the recently developed model for positively charged calcite...
Investigation of Nonlinear Model Order Reduction of the Quasigeostrophic Equations through a Physics-Informed Convolutional Autoencoder.

Reduced order modeling (ROM) is a field of techniques that approximates complex physics-based models of real-world processes by inexpensive surrogates that capture important dynamical characteristics with a smaller number of degrees of freedom. Traditional ROM techniques such as proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) focus on linear projections of the dynamics onto a set of spectral features. In this paper we explore the construction of ROM using autoencoders (AE) that perform nonlinear projections of the system dynamics onto a low dimensional manifold learned from data. The approach uses convolutional neural networks (CNN) to learn spatial features as opposed to spectral, and utilize a physics informed (PI) cost function in order to capture temporal features as well. Our investigation using the quasi-geostrophic equations reveals that while the PI cost function helps with spatial reconstruction, spatial features are less powerful than spectral features, and that construction of ROMs through machine learning-based methods requires significant investigation into novel non-standard methodologies.
External Reproductive Structures of Male Surfperches (Embiotocidae): Urogenital Papilla

Fishes exhibit a dynamic array of reproductive diversity. Among the various forms of reproduction, internal fertilization has evolved at least 13 times and has been observed in 2-3% of teleost species, half of which are marine. Internal fertilization has led to the evolution of male intromittent organs to aid in sperm transfer during copulation. The intromittent organs of poeciliids have been widely investigated, but little research has focused on the intromittent organs of marine fishes. The surfperches are internally fertilizing, viviparous fishes with a ventrally located papilla. In this article, the external morphology of 19 Embiotocidae species was examined. Additionally, paraffin histology was used to investigate the walleye surfperch (Hyperprosopon argenteum), black perch (Embiotoca jacksoni), and dwarf perch (Micrometrus minimus) papilla to aid in the identification of tissue composition to determine its function. External morphology was documented via macro photography and males were dissected to observe the relationship between the testes, spermatic duct, and papilla. We provide histological evidence that the urogenital papilla is directly connected to the spermatic duct and testis and likely involved in spermatozeugmata transfer. Our research also determined that the papillae were composed of both urinary and reproductive tissues, thus we propose the papilla be referred to as a urogenital papilla. Our study contributes to an overall understanding of intromittent organs of marine fishes, particularly in the surfperches, which has not been previously documented.
Multicultural Value Perceptions: Comparing Evidence from Egypt and France

The perceived value scale of Kantamneni and Coulson (1996) is administered to a select sample of respondents in Egypt and France. Results from the study suggest that as different cultures, Egypt and France require differential marketing efforts. This study uncovers the dimensions of perceived value in both the Egyptian and French cultures.
ON THE CYTOLOGICAL UNIT FOR PROTEIN SYNTHESIS IN VIVO IN E. COLI. II. STUDIES WITH INTACT CELLS OF TYPE B.

Abstract Intact cells of Escherichia coli B were pulse labelled with [ 14 C]amino acids, disrupted by shaking with glass beads and fractionated into membrane, ribosome, and soluble fractions. An additional ribosome fraction was obtained from the membranes by treatment with deoxycholate. It was found that although the ribosomes from both sources showed the same kinetics for uptake and loss of radioactivity, the specific radioactivity of the ribosomes obtained from the membrane was consistently higher than that obtained in the free ribosome fraction. The findings were considered in terms of a membrane-linked ribosome as an important functional unit for protein synthesis in Escherichia coli .
PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION OF ACACIA ANGUSTISSIMA.

Preliminary pharmacological screening of the ethanol and aqueous extracts of Acacia angustissima has revealed sedative and antitumor effects. A phytochemical study has established the presence in the defatted ethanol extract of the leucoanthocyanidin moiety, 7, 3′, 4′-trihydroxyflavan-3,4 diol (I). The intractable amorphous ethanol extract, after partial solvent fractionation, was separated into seven fractions with a 100-stage countercurrent distribution. Three of these seven fractions contained the same leucoanthocyanidin unit (I) A fourth countercurrent fraction has been characterized tentatively as a flavone or flavonol compound. Further studies are being conducted to determine the extent of polymerization of the three fractions and to isolate the monomer leucoanthocyanidin.
Positive image and high profile gets results in a hospital library.

The film, It's a Wonderful Life, [1] depicts Jimmy Stewart (as George Bailey) contemplating suicide after a series of financial reverses. His guardian angel shows him what may have happened had he never been born. In a dramatic scene, George clutches at the angel and begs over and over: “Where's Mary?” (his wife played by Donna Reed) Finally, the angel relents and tells him: “You're not going to like it, George! She's an old maid! She never married! She's just about to close up the library!” The scene shifts to a frumpily dressed Donna Reed, just closing the door to the Pottersville Library. When George approaches her, she screams and runs away. Mary Bailey, sans husband, is doomed to an unhappy life of lonely toil in the library. She is unattractive, unstylish, timid, and given to hysteria—the perfect librarian! This movie reflects the culture of 1940s America, yet its image of librarians lives on. An invalid and dated image affects medical librarians, too. Studies have shown that many physicians, nurses, and allied health personnel view hospital librarians as book handlers and book curators who provide technical and clerical services and have a static set of responsibilities [2–4]. Other traits that have been attributed to librarians include orderliness, meticulousness, acquisitiveness, conformity, conservatism, passivity, submissiveness, introspection, anxiousness, and lack of self-confidence [5]. The real work of librarians as organizational innovators and managers of information is not well publicized in the mass media. Image—humorous or not-so-humorous—is important because it affects how library users and potential users judge the value and validity of librarians' work. An outdated, ineffectual image may even threaten a small medical library's existence or the librarian's job. A conscious and focused effort is needed to dispel stereotypes and to replace them with new images suggesting strength, innovation, and self-confidence. With this in mind, the librarian in one hospital has developed a plan of action to promote a positive image, visibility, and respect.
Crisis in Army Psychopharmacology and Mental Health Care at Fort Hood

The recent shootings at Ft. Hood, allegedly by an army psychiatrist, have placed much needed focus on army mental health care. Questions are now being raised as to whether longstanding and severe shortages in the number of mental health professionals in the army may have led authorities to overlook danger signals in this psychiatrist, failing to remove him in order to retain a worker with rare and valuable psychiatric credentials for army service. Whether or not this is the case, examination of mental health care in the army shows a system that is indeed understaffed, under tremendous pressure, and near the breaking point.
Common Stock Equivalents, Earnings per Share, and Stock Valuation:

This paper deals with how the primary earnings per share should be affected by common stock equivalents. Following the present rules there can be convertible bonds which should be converted but are...
Continuous Auditing: An Effective Tool for Internal Auditors

Increasing corporate accountability and regulatory pressure push internal auditors to develop new ways to enhance effectiveness and efficiency in their work. Once-a-year reviews are often insufficient. Consequently, continuous auditing is necessary to meet the needs of a firm's stakeholders. Continuous auditing is any of the methods used by auditors to perform an audit on a continuous basis. Continuous auditing tests transactions based on prescribed criteria, identifies anomalies, and is the responsibility of the auditor. This article addresses the potential impact of the current environment on continuous auditing and its stakeholders.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging as a Tool to Predict Meniscal Reparability

One hundred six patients who underwent high field strength magnetic resonance imaging and subsequent arthroscopy of the knee were evaluated to determine the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging in predicting meniscal tear reparability. Each scan was independently read by three examiners with varying degrees of expertise: a musculoskeletal radiologist, a senior orthopaedic surgeon, and a general radiologist. Each suspected tear was characterized by its morphologic type, maximum length, and minimum distance from the meniscosynovial junction. A prediction was then made of whether the tear was reparable. There were 115 meniscal tears noted in the 106 patients studied. The examiners' ability to correctly estimate tear type was only fair, with correct estimates made only 14% to 67% of the time. The overall correlation of the three examiners to correctly predict the method of treatment was fair. The average accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of magnetic resonance imaging in predicting meniscal reparability were 74%, 29%, 89%, 50%, and 80%, respectively; for predicting meniscectomy, these values were 69%, 68%, 75%, 90%, and 43%, respectively. There were no significant differences between the three examiners in the accuracy of their treatment predictions. The results of this study suggest that magnetic resonance imaging is only moderately reliable for the prediction of meniscus reparability. In addition, the training of the reader does not appear to significantly influence the results.
Assessing the impact of substandard copy medicines in developing countries: the experience with imatinib copies.

Access to safe, high-quality medicines is an important international healthcare issue. In developing countries, copy medicines may be attractive due to low acquisition price, but their potential risks due to inadequately demonstrated bioequivalence have garnered only limited attention. As a result, policy-makers, physicians and patients may have incomplete information regarding their real-world safety and efficacy. Using chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) treatment as an example, we conducted a literature review of case reports and study publications to assess whether the available literature provides evidence on the real-world safety and efficacy of imatinib copies. While several publications described clinical outcomes with imatinib copy treatment, significant gaps in interpretability and quality exist. We conclude that clear demonstration of bioequivalence is critical for copy drugs, and in the presence of uncertain bioequivalence, greater pharmacovigilance and real-world data benchmarked against originato...
Inverse Kinematics of Serial-Chain Manipulators

This paper proposes a unified method for the complete solution of the inverse kinematics problem of serial-chain manipulators. This method reduces the inverse kinematics problem for any 6 degree-of-freedom serial-chain manipulator to a single univariate polynomial of minimum degree from the fewest possible closure equations. It is shown that the univariate polynomials of 16th degree for the 6R, 5R-P and 4R-C manipulators with general geometry can be derived from 14, 10 and 6 closure equations, respectively, while the 8th and 4th degree polynomials for all the 4R-2P, 3R-P-C, 2R-2C, 3R-E and 3R-S manipulators can be derived from only 2 closure equations. All the remaining joint variables follow from linear equations once the roots of the univariate polynomials are found. This method works equally well for manipulators with special geometry. The minimal properties may provide a basis for a deeper understanding of manipulator geometry, and at the same time, facilitate the determination of all possible configurations of a manipulator with respect to a given end-effector position, the determination of the workspace and its subspaces with the different number of configurations, and the identification of singularity positions of the end-effector. This paper also clarifies the relationship between the three known solutions of the general 6R manipulator as originating from a single set of 14 equations by the first author.
Type I supernovae. II. The spectrum of SN 1972e in NGC 5253, 250 days after the explosion

The spectrum of Type I supernova, 250 days after the explosion, has been computed using the three density models able to fit the observe spectrum at tapprox. =30 days. We assume that rho/sub nu/(T) = rho/sub nu/(t/sub 0/)(T/sub 0//t)/sup 3/. The results are compared with the observed spectrum of SN 1972e in NGC 5253 corresponding to the same stage of evolution. The best fit is obtained for a density model in the supernova shell of the type rho=rho/sub 0/(..nu../sub 0//phi)/sup 2/. Lower limits of the abundance of O, Ne, Ar, Fe, and S relative to He are given. (AIP)
The First Man in Her Life: Father Emotional Responsiveness During Adolescence and College Women's Sexual Refusal Behaviors

Few empirical studies have examined how fathers influence daughters’ sexual interactions with male peers. We hypothesized that paternal emotional responsiveness would empower daughters to refuse unwanted sex. Female undergraduates (N = 144) and their fathers completed measures of paternal responsiveness during adolescence; daughters also reported their global self-worth, acceptance of male partner dominance, and sexual refusal behaviors. As expected, paternal responsiveness promoted daughters’ refusals of unwanted sex. Paternal responsiveness predicted daughters’ self-worth, partially explaining daughters’ increased sexual assertiveness. Perceived paternal responsiveness also negatively predicted daughters’ acceptance of male dominance. These results suggest that positive paternal relationships promote daughters’ sexual agency.
Tunable-laser-induced gratings for the measurement of ultrafast phenomena

Optically induced gratings form the basis of a class of optical frequency-domain techniques for the measurement of ultrafast phenomena with demonstrated temporal resolution on the order of tens of femtoseconds without the use of ultrashort pulses. We describe these techniques and calculate experimental line shapes. We discuss experimental strategies and some experimental problems that have plagued early experiments, but which have been solved. In addition, we present results obtained for triphenyl methane dyes and the optical Kerr liquid, carbon disulfide, and we discuss the interpretation of these results.
Pharmacologic Advances in Residential Treatment

The author has worked as a child psychiatry consultant to several residential treatment centers from 1965 to the present. Prior to the last 5 or 10 years, the psychiatric consultant role was mainly one of providing diagnoses, assisting with the formulation of psychodynarnics, consulting with residential staff, providing psychotherapy, etc. However, there is a remarkable revolution in psychiatry in the areas of neuroscience and psychopharmacology. These advances, especially in psychopharmacology, offer a great deal of potential for children and youth in residential care, especially those whose problems of mood and behavioral control interfere with the standard, non-pharmacologic approaches. This paper will mention the older drugs (Ritalin , Thorazine , Haldol), but will focus on the use of the newer drugs (the SSRI antidepressants, clonidine, lithium carbonate, valproic acid, betablockers and carbamazepine) in diagnosing and ameliorating behavioral pathology.
Molecular Targets of Antiviral Therapy

THE development of specific antiviral drugs that are minimally toxic to normal cells has ushered in a new era of antiviral therapy. The advent of this therapy is especially timely in the light of t...
NR2B-deficient mice are more sensitive to the locomotor stimulant and depressant effects of ethanol

The NR2B subunit of N-methyl d-aspartate glutamate receptors influences pharmacological properties and confers greater sensitivity to the modulatory effects of ethanol. This study examined behavioral responses to acute ethanol in a conditional knockout mouse model that allowed for a delayed genetic deletion of the NR2B subunit to avoid mouse lethality. Mice lacking the NR2B gene (knockout) were produced by mating NR2B[f/f] mice with CAMKIIa-driven tTA transgenic mice and the tetO-CRE transgenic mice. Adult male and female offspring representing each of the resultant genotypes (knockout, CAM, CRE and wildtype mice) were tested for open-field locomotor activity following acute low- and high-dose ethanol challenge as well as loss of righting reflex. Findings indicate that male and female mice lacking the NR2B subunit exhibited greater overall activity in comparison to other genotypes during the baseline locomotor activity test. NR2B knockout mice exhibited an exaggerated stimulant response to 1.5 g/kg (i.p.) and an exaggerated depressant response to 3.0 g/kg (i.p.) ethanol challenge. In addition, NR2B knockout mice slept longer following a high dose of ethanol (4.0 g/kg, i.p.). To evaluate pharmacokinetics, clearance rates of ethanol (1.5, 4.0 g/kg, i.p.) were measured and showed that female NR2B knockouts had a faster rate of metabolism only at the higher ethanol dose. Western blot analyses confirmed significant reduction in NR2B expression in the forebrain of knockout mice. Collectively, these data indicate that the NR2B subunit of the N-methyl d-aspartate glutamate receptor is involved in regulating low-dose stimulant effects of ethanol and the depressant/hypnotic effects of ethanol.
Impact of evaluating antibiotic concentrations in abdominal abscesses percutaneously drained

Abstract Background Appropriate antibiotic therapy and prompt drainage are essential for optimal results with abdominal abscesses. Methods In this prospective study, 47 abdominal abscesses from 42 patients over 2 years who had percutaneous drainage were evaluated. Antibiotic concentrations were evaluated from the abscess fluid and correlated with clinical and microbiologic cure. Results Only 23% of patients had appropriate antibiotic selection with optimal concentrations for the bacteria recovered. Piperacillin/tazobactam, cefepime, and metronidazole provided adequate concentrations in all except the largest abscesses, whereas fluconazole required higher doses in all abscesses. Vancomycin and ciprofloxacin levels were inadequate in most abscesses. With gram-negative aerobes, the use of appropriate antibiotics resulted in a relatively higher incidence of presumed eradication (100% [4 of 4] vs 75% [9 of 12], P = .26). With ≥3 organisms identified, clinical failure was significant (58% vs 13%, P = .01). Conclusions For optimal treatment, abdominal abscesses require prompt drainage and properly selected antibiotics at adequate doses. Essential information can be obtained from abscess cultures and their antibiotic concentrations.
Authentic Assessment: Establishing a Clear Foundation for Instructional Practices

As children transition from Early Childhood Intervention Services to public education, it is critical that the results from the assessment practices used to identify children for services in public education are translated into instructional techniques that early childhood educators are able to implement in the classroom setting. This article aims to describe best practices in assessment of young children who are transitioning from Early Childhood Intervention Services to public school services with specific emphasis placed on authentic assessment, and the potential benefits of this type of assessment as compared with traditional standardized assessment practices.
Some sexual differences in behaviour within a colony of marked beavers (Castor canadensis)

Abstract Sexual differences in social and construction behaviours of Canadian beavers ( Castor canadensis ) were studied in the field in central Massachusetts. The colony was organized around the adult female. She emerged from the lodge first 93 per cent of the time, tail-slapped twice as frequently as the adult male, was the alpha member of the family in dominance encounters and elicited more calls from other beavers than any other animal. Tail-slapping by females was significantly more effective in causing beavers to move to deep water than tail-slaps by males. The adult female led the family in lodge maintenance, food cache building and dam maintenance. The adult male performed close dam inspection twice as often as the adult female.
Unusual Mechanistic Difference in the Inactivation of γ-Aminobutyric Acid Aminotransferase by (E)- and (Z)-4-Amino-6-fluoro-5-hexenoic Acid

The mechanisms of inactivation of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) aminotransferase by (Z)- (2)- and (E)-4-amino-6-fluoro-5-hexenoic acid (3) were studied. The kinetic constants of inactivation for 2 and 3 were approximately the same. Inactivation of [7-3H]PLP-reconstituted GABA aminotransferase by 2 and 3 also gave similar results for the two isomers: 63% (2) and 66% (3) of the radioactivity remained covalently attached to the enzyme; 31% (2) and 29% (3) were released as PLP; 5% (2) and 4% (3) of the radioactivity emerged as PMP. Treatment of GABA aminotransferase with either [3H]-2 or [3H]-3 led to the incorporation of 1.0 equiv of tritium into the enzyme after gel filtration. Urea denaturation at pH 7.0, however, released about 0.3 equiv of the tritium from the enzyme, and urea denaturation at pH 2.4 released 0.35 equiv of the tritium. About 85% of the released radioactivity was identified as 4-amino-6-oxohexanoic acid (31) and the remainder as a mixture of 4-oxo-5-hexenoic acid (10) and the product of Mich...
New family of copper-oxide-based isotropic metallic oxides for normal metal barriers in SNS junctions

Thin films and heterostructures of a new family of copper- oxide-based isotropic metallic oxides such as La6.4Sr1.6Cu8O20, La5BaCu6O13 and La6BaYCu8O20 have been investigated. These metallic oxides are oxygen deficient pseudo-cubic perovskites that exhibits Pauli paramagnetism, which could be ideal normal metals for SNS junctions in high Tc superconducting devices. We have grown epitaxial thin films of these metallic oxides and SNS superconducting heterostructures in situ by 90 degrees off-axis sputtering. X-ray diffraction and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy reveal these heterostructures to have high crystalline quality and clean interfaces. This material will facilitate fabrication of ideal SNS Josephson junctions with low boundary resistance due to its excellent chemical compatibility and lattice match with cuprate superconductors and will be useful for determining the source of interface resistance in such heterostructures.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Adolescent religiousness as a protective factor against pornography use.

Abstract This study examined mediators of relations between adolescent religiousness and pornography use. The sample consisted of 419 adolescents (ages 15–18 years; M age = 15.68, SD = 0.98; 56% male). It was hypothesized that religiousness (religious internalization and involvement) would protect adolescents from pornography use (accidental and intentional viewing) by increasing self-regulation, conservative attitudes towards pornography, and social control against pornography. Path analyses revealed religious internalization and involvement were indirectly linked to intentional viewing through all three mediators. For accidental viewing, the only indirect effects were from religious internalization through self-regulation and social control, and from religious involvement through social control. Thus, religiousness may protect adolescents from intentional and accidental exposure to pornography.
Effects of Thyroxin on Palatogenesis, Fetal Resorptions, and Fetal Weights in A/Jax Mice

SYNOPSIS IN INTERLINGUA EFFECTOS DE THYROXINA SUPER LE PALATOGENESE, LE RESORPTION FETAL, E LE PESO FETAL IN MUSES A/ JAX.—Le administration intramuscular de 0,1 mg. de thyroxina a muses pregnante 11 1/2 e 12 1/2 dies post le conception ni induceva (isolate) palato fisse ni alterava le incidentia de palato fisse spontanee (associate con labio fisse). Quando le regime de administrationes de thyroxina esseva combinate con un sol dose intramuscular de 10 mg. de cortisona 11 1/2 dies post le conception, un significativemente plus alte incidentia de resorption fetal e un reduction in le peso fetal medie esseva observate in comparation con animales tractate con cortisona sol.
A general procedure for simulating EPR spectra of partially oriented paramagnetic centers

Abstract A general procedure for simulating EPR spectra of partially oriented paramagnetic centers is presented. The procedure is applied to the systems of [Ni(maleonitriledithiolato) 2 ] − in oriented nematic N -(4′-methoxybenzylidene)4- n -butylaniline liquid crystal and to consolidated clays. The Ni(mnt) 2 − case is unusual in that the long, in-plane molecular axis tends to align with the liquid crystal, while for the clay, no g -tensor axis is colinear with the axis of orientation. With the present development, the degree of orientation in a wide range of partially ordered systems can now be quantitatively analyzed.
Average 2-6 keV pulse shapes of Hercules X-1 during the January 1972 'on' state

The available data on the Uhuru satellite sightings of observably bright ('on' state) Her X-1 during January 1972 are divided into eight intervals between successive eclipses. The average pulse shapes obtained are discussed. It is shown that the average pulse shape varies little during most of the 'on' state. However, during about the last three days of the 'on' state, the pulsations almost completely disappear. The results appear to support a class of models in which the 35-day cycle is due to variable obscuration of Her X-1 by a precessing accretion disk or other matter within the system.
Compressibility of molten high-Ti mare glass: Evidence for crystal-liquid density inversions in the lunar mantle

Static compression density measurements of molten Apollo 14 black glass have been performed at liquidus conditions in the pressure range 1.0–11.5 GPa. A range of values for the Birch-Murnaghan isothermal bulk modulus (K2173 K = 13–23 GPa) and the pressure derivative (dKdP = 7−3, respectively) fit the data within the uncertainties; K2173 K = 15.5 GPa and dKdP = 5.2 provides the best fit to the four measured pressure-density pairs corrected to isothermal conditions. The ultramafic high-Ti mare glass is significantly more compressible than other ultrabasic and basic silicate liquids previously studied. The compressibility appears to be related to TiO2 content. The Apollo 14 black glass sample has the highest TiO2 content of the pristine mare glasses, which are thought to be primary melts from a differentiated and strongly heterogeneous lunar mantle. Our density measurements confirm the prediction that molten black glass will be denser than equilibrium olivine and orthopyroxene at pressures greater than ∼2.0 and ∼0.5 GPa, respectively. These density inversions correspond to depths greater than approximately 410 and 100 km in the lunar mantle. Since orthopyroxene replaces olivine at ∼1.5 GPa (300 km) on the liquidus, our results constrain the maximum depth of buoyancy for high-Ti magmas at <400 km in the lunar mantle.
A Study on Wire Sweep in Encapsulation of Semiconductor Chips Using Simulated Experiments

An effort has been made in this study to develop a model which can predict wire sweep during semiconductor chip encapsulation with transfer molding. The calculation of wire sweep during encapsulation depends on many factors. In this study, a step-by-step approach has been used considering one factor at a time. As the first step, the wire deformation has been measured and calculated under a known dead-weight loading. The next step has been to measure and calculate the deformation of a single straight wire attached to the mid-plane of a rectangular cavity due to the flow of a clear and homogeneous fluid. Finally, the wire deformation due to the flow has been measured and calculated when a wire of general shape is attached to a leadframe. The effect of bubble on the wire-sweep has been analyzed qualitatively. Through this series of experiments, a first step in the development of model for the prediction of wire sweep during chip encapsulation has been made.
Image segmentation through gabor-based neural networks

An image segmentation system based on known cortical interactions and topography is presented. First, a space variant retinal-like representation of the image is obtained not only to provide with spatial focusing but also to reduce the computational load. Next, a layer of receptive fields for feature extraction was evolved from a set of Gabor functions with multiple orientational characteristics. Shunting competitive interactions among different features eliminate local ambiguities. Long-range interactions among `winning' cells, sharing similar orientation preferences, but with possible different spatial scales, are used to form a congruent description of the visual scene taking into account spatial context. The output of this layer is used to partition the image into emergent segments. Encouraging results of MRI images processing are presented.
The Formal Analysis of Narratives of Organizational Change

Formal analysis of narrative descriptions of events allows the researcher to rigorously examine processes of organizational change. Event-structure analysis (ESA), a rule-driven formal technique of narrative analysis, is applied to a narrative description of an environmental dispute. Various organizations and government agencies engaged in this dispute. ESA is applied to the narrative to clarify the causal linkages among the events and to demonstrate the advantages of studying organizational change through the formal analysis of narratives.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Long-Term Stability of Hollow Polymer Nanocapsules with Nanometer-Thin Walls

Hollow polymer nanocapsules are produced by the polymerization within hydrophobic interior of lipid bilayers that act as temporary self-assembled scaffolds. Pore-forming templates are codissolved with monomers in the bilayers to create pores with controlled size and chemical environment. Polymerization was monitored with UV spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering. High-resolution magic angle spinning NMR characterization provided detailed structural information about nanocapsules. Spherical shape was confirmed by electron microscopy. Medium-sized molecules can be entrapped within porous nanocapsules. No release of encapsulated molecules was observed within 240 days.
Modelling of combined mass transfer-kinetic effects in an enzyme membrane reactor system with a direct approach to the identification of intrinsic rate parameters

A methodology for identifying non-linear parameters in a generalised BriggsHaldane rate expression for immobilised enzyme membrane flow reactors has been developed for the intermediate case where mutually rate-controlling processes of mass transfer and enzymatic reaction prevail. The technological significance of the estimation procedure lies in the ability of the algorithm to handle parameter identification in non-linear, two-point boundary value problems which are prevalent in both immobilised enzyme and non-enzymic heterogeneous catalysed reactor systems. The methodology was successfully implemented on an experimental level using quasisteady-state conversion data for the model system of urea/collagen-urease in a spiral-wound, biocatalytic reactor module. By using a novel procedure of pepsin pretreatment of the collagen host membrane before enzyme impregnation, followed by glutaraldehyde crosslinking, it was possible to enhance the activity and stability of the immobilised enzyme complex to relatively high levels where interphase and intraphase diffusional limitations mutually controlled the rate of reaction. Information on the coefficient of mass transfer at the interface between solid and fluid phases was also obtained as part of the estimation procedure.
Cinematic Jujitsu: Resisting White Hegemony through the American Dream in Spike Lee’s Malcolm X

Spike Lee's film Malcolm X (1992) presented Malcolm X's life story using the narrative framework of the American Dream myth central to liberal ideology. Working from Gramsci's notion of common sense in the process of hegemony, I explain how Lee appealed to this mythic structure underlying American popular culture to give a platform to Malcolm X's controversial ideas. By adopting a common sense narrative to tell Malcolm X's life story, this movie functioned as a form of cinematic jujitsu that invited critical consciousness about the contradictions between liberal ideology and the life experiences of racially excluded groups. Other formal devices in Lee's film incorporated Malcolm X's rhetoric within the common sense of mainstream politics and connected Malcolm X to more contemporary racial struggles. This analysis suggests that common sense framings of controversial figures may provide a limited space to challenge institutionalized forms of racism within popular culture.