cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Wavelength effects in the photolysis of ketones: intramolecular hydrogen abstraction of o-methyl-dibenzyl ketones vs. α-cleavage in micellar solution

Abstract The chemical yields of indanols, the products of intramolecular δ-hydrogen abstraction produced in the photolysis of o -methyldibenzyl ketone ( o -MeDBK) and o , o′ -dimethyldibenzyl ketone ( o , o′ -Me 2 DBK) in SDS micelles are sensitive to the wavelength of excitation: the yields of indanols are about two times smaller for excitation at 254 nm than at ca . 320 nm. At the same time the magnitude of the secondary cage effect, arising from coupling of geminate benzyl radical pairs is increased slightly for excitation at 254 nm relative to 300 nm. In contrast to the results for micellar solution, in hexane no wavelength effect on the yields of indanols is observed. A kinetic analysis of the reaction scheme shows that the decrease in the yield of indanol in micelles for shorter wavelength excitation is caused mainly by a decrease in the recombination probability P r of the primary phenacyl/benzyl radical pair resulting from α-cleavage. This decrease in probability for recombination of the primary geminate pair causes an increase in the formation of the secondary geminate benzyl/benzyl pair and a higher relative yield of geminate cage recombination. Intramolecular hydrogen abstraction as well as further cyclization of the biradical to indanol are not wavelength dependent processes. A Salem correlation diagram for hydrogen abstraction provides theoretical support for the proposed mechanism.
Analysis of fiber Bragg gratings for dispersion compensation in reflective and transmissive geometries

Numerical analysis of the dispersion-compensating properties of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) in both reflective and transmissive modes is presented. First, the sensitivity of chirped, reflective gratings to the grating chirp parameter, index modulation, and grating length is examined, showing that apodization provides lower sensitivity to variations in these parameters. Second, we introduce a new transmissive geometry for grating-based dispersion compensation that utilizes the dispersive properties of a uniform Bragg grating in transmission.
Primary Choriocarcinoma Of The Bladder With The Detection Of Isochromosome 12p

A 19-year-old man presented with gross hematuria in May 2000. Cystoscopy revealed a 3 cm. mass, and complete transurethral resection yielded fragments of hemorrhagic gray tissue that, upon microscopic examination, showed an admixture of atypical syncytiotrophoblastic and cytotrophoblastic cells. The former stained positively for the subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). There was no evidence of a transitional cell carcinoma component or an in situ component, or elements of squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma. Physical examination was remarkable only for gynecomastia. Initial serum HCG level following tumor resection was 24 IU/l. (normal less than 1.56), and -fetoprotein level was normal. Scrotal ultrasound did not reveal any testicular abnormality. Computerized tomography of the chest, abdomen and pelvis showed no evidence of disease elsewhere. The patient was treated with 4 cycles of etoposide and cisplatin at standard doses every 3 weeks without significant complication. Bleomycin was given weekly for the first 2 courses but was discontinued during cycle 3 due to concern regarding pulmonary toxicity. HCG level normalized prior to cycle 2 and remained normal thereafter. Fluorescent in situ hybridization for the i(12p) gene mutation demonstrated excess copies diagnostic of germ cell tumor. At 15 months after starting chemotherapy the patient was disease-free.
Hertzian-crack suppression in ceramics with elastic-modulus-graded surfaces

Hertzian (spherical) indentation experiments were carried out in a graded alumina-glass composite whose Young`s modulus increased with depth beneath the indented surface. An in situ processing method involving impregnation of a dense, fine-grained alumina by an aluminosilicate glass was employed to fabricate such a composite. With this technique, a monotonic, unidirectional variation in Young`s modulus of as much as 50% was introduced over a distance of approximately 2 mm, while keeping the coefficient of thermal expansion and the Poisson ratio for the glass and the alumina nearly the same. The macroscopically graded, elastic composite so produced with nearly full density has essentially no macroscopic, long-range residual stresses following processing. The unidirectional variation in Young`s modulus under the indenter is shown to fully suppress the formation of Hertzian cone cracks. Without these elastic-modulus gradients, cone-crack formation was observed in bulk glass and alumina. Finite-element analyses of spherical indentation on elastically graded substrates were also performed to develop a quantitative understanding of the experimental trends. It is reasoned that the present innovations, involving functionally graded surfaces and their in situ processing, provide new possibilities for enhancing certain contact-damage resistance characteristics in various ceramic materials for a broad range of engineering applications. Furthermore,more » this contact-damage-resistance phenomenon in functionally graded ceramics is elastic in nature, and is, therefore, likely to be immune to mechanical fatigue within the elastic limit.« less
Black Candidates and Black Voters: Assessing the Impact of Candidate Race on Uncounted Vote Rates

Numerous studies show that the rate at which African-Americans cast ballots with missing or invalid votes, i.e., the African-American residual vote rate, is higher than the corresponding white rate. While existing literature argues that the plethora of African-American residual votes is caused by administrative problems or socioeconomic factors, we show using precinct-level data from two recent elections in Cook County, Illinois, that the African-American residual vote rate in electoral contests with black candidates is less than half the rate in contests without black candidates. African Americans, therefore, are able to reduce their residual vote rate when they wish to do so. We present complementary findings for white voters, whose residual vote rate often substantially increases in contests which feature dominant black candidates.
Novel skeletal representation for articulated creatures

This research examines an approach for capturing 3D surface and structural data of moving articulated creatures. Given the task of non-invasively and automatically capturing such data, a methodology and the associated experiments are presented, that apply to multiview videos of the subject's motion. Our thesis states: A functional structure and the time-varying surface of an articulated creature subject are contained in a sequence of its 3D data. A functional structure is one example of the possible arrangements of internal mechanisms (kinematic joints, springs, etc.) that is capable of performing the motions observed in the input data. Volumetric structures are frequently used as shape descriptors for 3D data. The capture of such data is being facilitated by developments in multi-view video and range scanning, extending to subjects that are alive and moving. In this research, we examine vision-based modeling and the related representation of moving articulated creatures using Spines. We define a Spine as a branching axial structure representing the shape and topology of a 3D object's limbs, and capturing the limbs' correspondence and motion over time. The Spine concept builds on skeletal representations often used to describe the internal structure of an articulated object and the significant protrusions. Our representation of a Spine provides for enhancements over a 3D skeleton. These enhancements form temporally consistent limb hierarchies that contain correspondence information about real motion data. We present a practical implementation that approximates a Spine's joint probability function to reconstruct Spines for synthetic and real subjects that move. In general, our approach combines the objectives of generalized cylinders, 3D scanning, and markerless motion capture to generate baseline models from real puppets, animals, and human subjects.
Natural Killer Cell Counts Are Not Different between Patients with Post-Lyme Disease Syndrome and Controls

It has been reported that patients with “chronic Lyme disease” have a decreased number of natural killer cells, as defined by the CD57 marker. We performed immunophenotyping in 9 individuals with post-Lyme disease syndrome, 12 who recovered from Lyme disease, and 9 healthy volunteers. The number of natural killer cells was not significantly different between the groups.
Directed evolution of a magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent for noninvasive imaging of dopamine.

The development of molecular probes that allow in vivo imaging of neural signaling processes with high temporal and spatial resolution remains challenging. Here we applied directed evolution techniques to create magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents sensitive to the neurotransmitter dopamine. The sensors were derived from the heme domain of the bacterial cytochrome P450-BM3 (BM3h). Ligand binding to a site near BM3h's paramagnetic heme iron led to a drop in MRI signal enhancement and a shift in optical absorbance. Using an absorbance-based screen, we evolved the specificity of BM3h away from its natural ligand and toward dopamine, producing sensors with dissociation constants for dopamine of 3.3–8.9 μM. These molecules were used to image depolarization-triggered neurotransmitter release from PC12 cells and in the brains of live animals. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of molecular-level functional MRI using neural activity–dependent sensors, and our protein engineering approach can be generalized to create probes for other targets.
Going public and the ownership structure of the firm

Abstract Going public is a complex process with distinct markets for dispersed shares and controlling blocks. It is important to design the sale of new shares with the final ownership structure in mind. An optimal strategy for going public starts with the IPO, which is particularly suited for the sale of dispersed holdings to small and passive investors. The marketing of potentially controlling blocks to active investors should occur subsequently. We develop a framework for evaluating alternative methods of sale and show that discriminating in favor of active investors can raise the market value of the firm for all shareholders.
Pressure dependence of the TO phonon frequency in hcp Zn

Zone-centre transverse optical phonon frequencies νTO(p) of hcp Zn as a function of hydrostatic pressure p have been calculated using the full-potential augmented-plane-wave plus local orbitals first-principles method with the generalized gradient approximation and compared with Raman measurements of frequencies under pressure. The oscillatory behaviour of νTO(p) found in the pressure range of the anomalies of hcp Zn supports our previous work on Zn, where such effects were shown both in the structural parameters and strongly in the elastic constant c44(p). By integrating the equation of motion using the exact potential and the zero-point and temperature excitations of the Raman active modes we show substantial anharmonic effects which make the frequency of one TO mode the order of 5% below the frequency of the other mode; this split is a large part of the observed line widths.
Finite element error estimation for quasi-Newtonian fluid-structure interaction problems

We consider a monolithic scheme for fluid-structure interaction problems involving an incompressible quasi-Newtonian fluid. The monolithic formulation is obtained using the Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) method with matching conditions at the fluid-structure interface. The stability and error analysis are performed for the finite element approximation. Finally, some numerical experiments that confirm the theoretical analysis are presented.
School or Therapy: Two Approaches to Empowering Welfare-Reliant Women

Ethnographic data from two welfare offices in Contra Costa County, California reveal a welfare program that broke with the work-first norm and empowered welfare-reliant women. Yet each office had a different approach to empowerment. The Lewiston office encouraged participants to pursue education to expand their future possibilities. The Strafford office, on the other hand, emphasized therapeutic services and discourses to help participants overcome personal difficulties before they pursued work and education. The author argues that the two approaches were largely a response by instructors to differences in the attitudes and preferences of participants at each site.
Mining for significant information from unstructured and structured biological data and its applications

Massive amounts of biological data are being accumulated in science. Searching for significant meaningful information and patterns from different types of data is necessary towards gaining knowledge from these large amounts of data available to users. However, data mining techniques do not normally deal with significance. Integrating data mining techniques with standard statistical procedures provides a way for mining statistically significant, interesting information from both structured and unstructured data. In this dissertation, different algorithms for mining significant biological information from both unstructured and structured data are proposed. A weighted-density-based approach is presented for mining item data from unstructured textual representations. Different algorithms in the area of radiation hybrid mapping are developed for mining significant information from structured binary data. The proposed algorithms have different applications in the ordering problem in radiation hybrid mapping including: identifying unreliable markers, and building solid framework maps. Effectiveness of the proposed algorithms towards improving map stability is demonstrated. Map stability is determined based on resampling analysis. The proposed algorithms deal effectively and efficiently with multidimensional data and also reduce computational cost dramatically. Evaluation shows that the proposed algorithms outperform comparative methods in terms of both accuracy and computation cost.
Competencia en el mercado bancario del crédito en Chile

La creciente concentracion y las altas tasas de rentabilidad que ha experimentado la industria bancaria chilena en las ultimas decadas han dado lugar a un intenso debate acerca de la intensidad de la competencia entre los bancos. El presente trabajo tiene por objetivo determinar la intensidad de la competencia en dicho mercado. Para ello se estima un modelo estructural de oferta y demanda de credito utilizando el metodo de correccion de errores. Los resultados senalan que no se puede rechazar la hipotesis de que existe algun grado de colusion en los mercados bancarios de creditos comerciales y de consumo en Chile. No obstante, dicha colusion se daria en un nivel de precios inferiores al de maximizacion conjunta de utilidades o monopolico. Cabe mencionar que ni el numero de participantes ni el grado de concentracion en el mercado bancario de credito son indicadores fidedignos del grado de competencia en dicho mercado.
State Scope of Practice Laws, Nurse-Midwifery Workforce, and Childbirth Procedures and Outcomes

Abstract Background Despite research indicating that health, cost, and quality of care outcomes in midwife-led maternity care are comparable with and in some case preferable to those for patients with physician-led care, midwifery plays a more important role in some U.S. states than in others. However, this variability is not well-understood. Objectives This study estimates the association between state scope of practice laws related to the autonomy of midwifery practice with the certified nurse-midwifery (CNM) workforce, access to midwife-attended births, and childbirth-related procedures and outcomes. Methods Using multivariate regression models, we analyzed Natality Detail File data from births occurring from 2009 to 2011. Each state was classified regarding autonomous midwifery practice (not requiring supervision or contractual agreements) based on Lexis legal search. Results States with autonomous practice laws had an average of 4.85 CNMs per 1,000 births, compared with 2.17 in states where CNM practice is subject to collaborative agreement. In states with autonomous CNM practice, women had higher odds of having a CNM-attended birth (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.59; p = .004), compared with women in states where midwifery is subject to collaborative agreement. In addition, women in states with autonomous practice had lower odds of cesarean delivery (AOR, 0.87; p = .016), preterm birth (AOR, 0.87; p Conclusions States with regulations that support autonomous midwifery practice have a larger nurse-midwifery workforce, and a greater proportion of CNM-attended births. Correlations between autonomous practice laws and better birth outcomes suggest future policy efforts to enhance access to midwifery services may be beneficial to pregnancy outcomes and infant health.
The factor IX BamHI polymorphism: T-to-G transversion at the nucleotide sequence -561. The BamHI/MSPI haplotypes in blacks and Caucasians.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was used to amplify a 356-bp DNA segment containing the suspected BamHI polymorphic site of the factor IX gene. Following the enzyme digestions and gel electrophoresis, polymorphic genotypes (-,+ and +/- types) were observed. The gene frequencies for the rare (+) allele are about 36% in blacks and 2% in Caucasians. The 356-bp DNA was further purified and sequenced. The sequencing gels revealed a single nucleotide substitution (T to G) at position-561 of the gene in blacks and Causians. The T-to-G transversion generated a new BamHI site (GGATCC,+type) from a nonenzymatic site, (TGATCC,-type).
Research on Speech Control Model of Intelligent Robot Dog

This article states the necessity of human-computer interaction on the basis of speech and proposes the implementation of speech control robot dog system.HTK and Julius are applied to build a large vocabulary continuous speech recognition platform.Besides,speech recognition technique is used to extract speech command to control the robot dog.A Finite State Machine(FSM) model is adopted to design the control system of the robot dog.Experimental results show this system does good in recognizing user's speech command.The control system can complete the control tasks under different conditions effectively.
P-glycoprotein in peripheral blood of children with intractable epilepsy and drug interference

Objective To explore the relationship between expression of P-glycoprotein(P-gp),a product of mul-tidrug resistance(MDR) gene,in the peripheral blood of children with intractable or newly diagnosed epilepsy for drug resistance.To establish a marker of drug resistance.To evaluate the therapeutic effect of flunarizine in the treatment of in-tractable epileptic patient with or without overexpression of P-gp.Methods The expression of P-gp in peripheral blood were investigated in 86 epileptic children(41 in intractable epilepsy group,45 in newly diagnosed epilepsy group) and 44 healthy children(controlled group) by flow cytometry.Intractable epileptic patients with or without overexpression of P-gp were given flunarizine 2.5-5 mg,po,qn,for 3 months and followed up.Results Overexpression of P-gp were found in 23(56.1%) patients of intractable epilepsy group,in 10(22.2%) patients of newly diagnosed epilepsy group and three(6.8%) children of the controlled.In intractable epilepsy group,17 out of 23 cases(73.9%) patient with overexpression of P-gp became tolerant to antiepileptic drugs,while 3 out of 18 cases(16.7%) patient without expression of P-gp be-came tolerant to antiepileptic drugs,and there was significant difference between them(P 0.01).In the newly diag-nosed epilepsy group,seven out of 10 cases(70%) with overexpression of P-gp became intractable epileptic patient and three out of 35 cases(18.6%) without expression of P-gp became intractable epileptic patient,there was significant difference between them(P 0.01).Twenty patients of intractable epilepsy group were given flunarizine for three months,11 of 17 patients with P-gp overexpression and 1 of 3 patients without P-gp expression were effective.When reexamined,P-gp expression in 6 out of 11 patients became negative.Conclusions It is suggested that overexpression of P-gp in the peripheral blood of intractable epileptic patients might be a significant marker of drug resistance.Newly diagnosed epileptic patients with overexpression of P-gp may develop intractable epilepsy.P-gp was a predictable marker of intractable epilepsy.Flunarizine could be a choice in treatment of intractable epilepsy with overexpression of P-gp.The antiepileptic mechanism of flunarizine may involve in reversing of P-gp.
Review of the USA Navy Carrier-Borne EW Aircraft

Carrier- borne EW aircraft occupies a very important position in the whole USA navy's combat system and plays an important role in lots of local wars. The USA navy has developed EA- 6B,EA- 18 G carrier- borne EW aircraft one after another and continues to upgrade the existing equipment. Meanwhile,for responding to the new threats,the USA Navy proposes the "Next Generation Jammer"plan. USA navy Carrier- borne EW aircraft's current situation,ability,develop trend are summerized and so on.
Point-of-Care Ultrasound

Point-of-care ultrasound has become an increasingly helpful tool for the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of a variety of conditions that affect surgical and critical care patients. This chapter will highlight the evidence behind point-of-care ultrasound utilization looking at patient outcomes as well as cost and comparative effectiveness studies. A step-by-step instruction on probe positioning and scanning technique is presented for the essential applications surgical and critical care physicians should know. Positive and negative images will be demonstrated. Finally, algorithms for how to safely and effectively integrate point-of-care ultrasound into practice will be reviewed.
Afro-Latin Magical Realism, Historical Memory, Identity, and Space in Angie Cruz’s Soledad and Nelly Rosario’s Song of the Water Saints

This chapter contends that the Afro-Dominican women writers in this study use magical realism as a narrative strategy to create alternate means to investigate the events of historical violence and the legacy of trauma resulting from these experiences. Magical realism allows Cruz and Rosario to expand their stories beyond the real, which permits them to express the ways in which the legacy of colonialism haunts and damages the human spirit, the body, the psyche, and the family. Furthermore, magical realism demonstrates the profound affect of migration on those in the Dominican diaspora. Framed within the tradition of Afro-Caribbean spiritual practices, families are haunted, sometimes literally, throughout the Dominican diaspora and by the legacy of the Trujillato and the trauma of historical violence.
Case Study 17. A Curious Isolation: The Hobbits of Flores

Of all the discoveries of fossil hominins, none has been more puzzling and unexpected than the “Hobbit” on the island of Flores in Indonesia. Anthropologists had no context in the fossil record in which to place it and had to grasp for analogies with a wide range of animals to make sense out of it. LB1 is an adult female that stands about 1 m tall with a brain capacity of about 400 cm3—not large for a chimpanzee and unheard of for a healthy human. As recently as 60,000 years old, this little hominin was alive when modern Homo sapiens were spreading out of Africa.
Mutual fluctuations between carriers in a broadband millimeter-wave communication system

Mutual fluctuations between two carriers in a broadband millimeter-wave communication system may be observed from the heterodyne signal spectrum of the carriers. Laboratory measurements made on equipment developed for local multipoint distribution system (LMDS) applications indicated the degradation in the heterodyne spectrum was mainly in the form of increased background noise with L(f) close to the beat-tone carrier essentially unaffected. Synchronization and orthogonal relationship between the carriers are therefore well preserved by the millimeter-wave link. This property is a key requirement for supporting modulation schemes with high spectral efficiency.
How China’s “Double-Eleven” Day Challenges Confucianism: An Abstract

“Double-Eleven” Day (aka 11.11 [November 11th], Singles Day, and Bachelors Day) is an e-commerce shopping spree celebrated by millions of Chinese e-shoppers. Since 2013, Chinese e-tailers have experienced record 1-day sales on that date. Qualitative secondary data about ‘Double-Eleven’ Day e-shoppers suggests they are short-term oriented and individualistic, anti-hierarchical in buyer–seller relationships, focused on immediate consumption and hedonic pleasure, and prone to spontaneous trust and superficial interactions when online. In contrast, traditional Chinese shoppers conform to long-established Chinese personal selling strategies by being long-term oriented, collectivistic, and seekers of long-term mutual trust in hierarchical buyer–seller relationships. Hence, Chinese e-tailers should adapt their selling practices to Chinese e-shoppers’ attitudes and behaviors.
Working memory capacity and mind-wandering during low-demand cognitive tasks

Individual differences in working memory capacity (WMC) typically predict reduced rates of mind-wandering during laboratory tasks (Randall, Oswald, & Beier, 2014). However, some studies have shown a positive relationship between WMC and mind-wandering during particularly low-demand tasks (Levinson, Smallwood, & Davidson, 2012; Rummel & Boywitt, 2014; Zavagnin, Borella, & De Beni, 2014). More specifically, Baird, Smallwood, and Schooler (2011) found that when individuals with greater WMC do mind-wander, they tend entertain more future-oriented thoughts. This piece of evidence is frequently used to support the context-regulation hypothesis, which states that using spare capacity to think productively (e.g. plan) during relatively simple tasks is indicative of a cognitive system that is functioning in an adaptive manner (Smallwood & Andrews-Hanna, 2013). The present investigation failed to replicate the finding that WMC is positively related to future-oriented off-task thought, which has implications for several theoretical viewpoints.
Forensic Application of Larvae Analysis to Detect Chemicals in Muscle Tissue

Past events cannot be observed, that is where forensic toxicology comes into play regarding the detection of toxic amounts of chemicals. This is useful in the forensic science field because it allows death investigators to deduce if the body at the scene had been under the influence of any chemicals before death. The purpose of this research is to determine if maggots can uptake trace amounts of chemicals from muscle and to determine if this uptake can be detected and quantified. This research will specifically examine the toxicology of three common chemicals (alcohol, caffeine, and penicillin) as absorbed by fetal pig muscle. To do such, fetal pig thighs were removed and skinned then placed in individual solutions of alcohol, caffeine, or penicillin to soak for 24 hours. Once all the liquid was removed, maggots were placed on the muscle. Samples of maggots were collected every 12 hours for a total of 72 hours. The maggots were then frozen and later placed in a nitric acid digestion to create a liquid solution that was later analyzed using the GC-MS.
Correlations between teacher turnover and specific non-pecuniary school characteristics among secondary band and choral programs in a large urban district:

This study was designed to examine teacher turnover among secondary choral and band programs (N = 124) in a large, urban school district in the USA during a 10-year period (1999–2000 through 2009–2...
Abstract TMP60: A Prospective Study of Serum Metabolites and Risk of Ischemic Stroke

Ischemic stroke (IS) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Identification of novel blood-based biomarkers that aid in the early identification of high-risk patients and in the class...
Etiology and treatment of post-cesarean-section endometritis after cephalosporin prophylaxis.

To describe the microbiologic etiology of post-cesarean endometritis developing after perioperative cephalosporin prophylaxis, endometrial samples were obtained from 27 women with a triple-lumen catheter. The women were assigned in a double-blind, randomized fashion to receive either ticarcillin/clavulanate, 3.1 g, or cefoxitin, 2 g, administered every six hours, until the clinical signs of infection resolved. A total of 149 microorganisms (84 facultative and 65 obligate anaerobes) were recovered from 26 women, for a mean of 5.5 isolates per specimen. One endometrial specimen was sterile. Bacteroides and Peptostreptococcus species were the most frequent isolates, followed by Gardnerella vaginalis, Enterococcus, facultative gram-negative rods and Mycoplasma hominis. Each of the isolates was tested for beta-lactamase activity. At least one beta-lactamase-producing isolate was recovered from 56% of the specimens. Susceptibility testing of endometrial isolates demonstrated that 96% of 118 potential pathogens (Gardnerella, Bacteroides, Peptostreptococcus, enterococci and streptococci) were susceptible to ticarcillin/clavulanate. By comparison, 86% of these isolates were susceptible to cefoxitin in vitro. Women who were treated with ticarcillin/clavulanate were less likely to have a temperature greater than 38 degrees C for two or more days (8% vs. 57%, P = .01). Also, there was a trend toward a decreased duration of uterine tenderness in the ticarcillin/clavulanate group, but it did not attain statistical significance (60% vs. 86%, P = .4). However, the overall clinical success rate with these single-agent treatments was not different for the two groups (77% vs. 79%, P = 1.0).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
An Organized Anarchy

Organizational researchers have traditionally studied large-scale, mainstream, bureaucratic organizations. Attention has been focused on both public and private sector organizations, and the range of topics and types of settings is enormous, from studies of mismanagement in federal bureaus to interaction on industrial shop floors. Coexisting with these large-scale organizations and in the spirit of populist reform that has characterized American society since its inception are the multitude of small-scale, experimental associations and organizations that develop often in opposition to some aspect of bureaucratic practice. These “border” groups (as they have been characterized by Douglas and Wildaysky 1982) exhibit a variety of structures and purposes, but, for the most part, they remain at the border of the organizational research literature.1 Swidler (1979) notes in her study of alternative schools that “de-spite their radical challenge to traditional organization [alternative organizations] have received little more than polemical attention. Analysts have had difficulty taking them seriously as social forms with their own structure and inner dynamics” (p. vii).
Factors Influencing the Quality of Social Support Messages Produced Online: The Role of Responsibility for Distress and Others’ Support Attempts:

Brunswik’s lens model was used as a guide to investigate the conditions under which people produce more and less effective support messages online. An experiment was conducted to examine the effect...
Last Words in Volume 17:2

Marchand looks at what people were reading fifty years ago (at the beginning of the twenthieth century).
Separate contributions of autistic traits and anxious apprehension, but not alexithymia, to emotion processing in faces.

Reduced eye fixation has been commonly reported in autistic samples but may be at least partially explained by alexithymia (i.e., difficulty understanding and describing one’s emotional state). Bec...
Integrating Power to Advance the Study of Connective and Productive Disciplinary Engagement in Mathematics and Science

AbstractEngle and Conant’s productive disciplinary engagement (PDE) framework has significantly advanced the study of learning in mathematics and science. This artilce revisits PDE through the lens...
Transactive Energy: Stabilizing Oscillations in Integrated Wholesale-Retail Energy Markets

Transactive energy is a control technique that uses market mechanisms to achieve desired control objectives. A number of studies have identified a well-known economic theory effect called a “cobweb” that can occur when the transactive control system is not properly designed. This work proposes a control framework to mitigate this effect by adding an extra control layer. This proposed control layer expresses the flexibility of load on the distribution side into the transmission system. By using FNCS, a co-simulation platform, new control framework is evaluated on a power system model composed of a single transmission system with the potential of thousands of flexible distribution systems. The co-simulation is able to replicate the cobweb effect and demonstrate that improper transactive control design can create oscillations at high penetrations of price-responsive loads. Furthermore, the proposed transactive control system is shown to be able to eliminate the cobweb effect while also effectively diminishing price and load spikes.
SERS Study of the Mechanism of Plasmon-Driven Hot Electron Transfer between Gold Nanoparticles and PCBM

Plasmonic nanostructures have been widely used in photochemical reactions to enhance reaction rates, decrease energy barriers, or change reaction pathways, but the detailed mechanisms of these plas...
Estimation of visible, near-, and mid-infrared complex refractive indices of calcite, dolomite, and magnesite

Abstract The visible, near-, and mid-infrared (≈0.4–6 μm) imaginary indices of refraction (k) are estimated from reflectance spectra for three carbonates germane to martian and terrestrial studies. The resulting values are combined with previous data at longer wavelengths and a subtractive Kramers-Konig analysis is used to estimate the real indices of refraction (n) as a function of wavelength. This process is iterated until neither the n or k vary significantly. The results provide estimated complex refractive indices spanning the ≈0.4–400 μm. The estimated visible, near-, and mid-infrared carbonate complex refractive indices are broadly consistent with previous studies, but extend the wavelength coverage and improve the spectral resolution for these materials.
Simulation study comparing readability and effectiveness of the 2012 versus 2017 ASRA local anesthetic systemic toxicity checklists

In 2017, the third American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA) practice advisory on local anesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST)[1][1] revised[2][2] its 2012 LAST checklist[3][3] to enhance the user experience. By comparing the readability (content and presentation) and
The timing of initiation of pharmacotherapy for women with gestational diabetes mellitus.

The decision to initiate pharmacotherapy is integral in the care for pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We sought to compare pregnancy outcomes between two threshold percentages of elevated glucose values prior to initiation of pharmacotherapy for GDM. We hypothesized that a lower threshold at pharmacotherapy initiation will be associated with lower rates of adverse perinatal outcomes. This was a retrospective cohort study of women with GDM delivering in a single tertiary care center. Pregnancy outcomes were compared using bivariable and multivariable analyses between women who started pharmacotherapy (insulin or oral hypoglycemic agent) after a failed trial of dietary modifications at two different ranges of elevated capillary blood glucose (CBG) values: Group 1 when 20–39% CBG values were above goal; Group 2 when ≥40% CBG values were above goal. The primary outcome was a composite GDM-associated neonatal adverse outcome that included: macrosomia, large for gestational age (LGA), shoulder dystocia, hypoglycemia, hyperbilirubinemia requiring phototherapy, respiratory distress syndrome, stillbirth, and neonatal demise. Secondary outcomes included cesarean delivery, preterm birth (< 37 weeks), neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, and small for gestational age (SGA). A total of 417 women were included in the study. In univariable analysis, the composite neonatal outcome was statistically significantly higher in Group 2 compared to Group 1 (47.9% vs. 31.4%, p = 0.001). In addition, rates of preterm birth (15.7% vs 7.4%, p = 0.011), NICU admission (11.7% vs 4.0%, p = 0.006), and LGA (21.2% vs 9.1% p = 0.001) were higher in Group 2. In contrast, higher rates of SGA were noted in Group 1 (8.0% vs. 2.9%, p = 0.019). There was no difference in cesarean section rates. These findings persisted in multivariable analysis after adjusting for confounding factors (composite neonatal outcome aOR = 0.50, 95%CI [0.31–0.78]). Initiation of pharmacotherapy for GDM when 20–39% of CBG values are above goal, compared to ≥40%, was associated with decreased rates of adverse neonatal outcomes attributable to GDM. This was accompanied by higher rates of SGA among women receiving pharmacotherapy at the lower threshold. Additional studies are required to identify the optimal threshold of abnormal CBG values to initiate pharmacotherapy for GDM.
Method and software platform for electronic COTS parts reliability estimation in space applications

Adoption of electronic Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) parts in various industrial products is rapidly increasing due to the accessibility and appealing lower cost of these commodities. Depending o...
Time Is Brain: Acute Control of Repetitive Seizures and Status Epilepticus Using Alternative Routes of Administration of Benzodiazepines

Time plays a major role in seizure evaluation and treatment. Acute repetitive seizures and status epilepticus are medical emergencies that require immediate assessment and treatment for optimal therapeutic response. Benzodiazepines are considered the first-line agent for rapid seizure control. Thus, various routes of administration of benzodiazepines have been studied to facilitate a quick, effective, and easy therapy administration. Choosing the right agent may vary based on the drug and route properties, patient’s environment, caregiver’s skills, and drug accessibility. The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic aspects of benzodiazepines are essential in the decision-making process. Ultimately, agents and routes that give the highest bioavailability, fastest absorption, and a modest duration are preferred. In the outpatient setting, intranasal and buccal routes appear to be equally effective and more rapidly administered than rectal diazepam. On the other hand, in the inpatient setting, if available, the IV route is ideal for benzodiazepine administration to avoid any potential absorption delay. In this article, we will provide an overview and comparison of the various routes of benzodiazepine administration for acute control of repetitive seizures and status epilepticus.
Initial clinical experiences using the intraoperative probe-based parathyroid autofluorescence identification system-PTeye™ during thyroid and parathyroid procedures.

Background and objective The Food and Drug Administration has cleared a probe-based near-infrared autofluorescence (NIRAF) detection system called PTeye™ as an adjunct tool for label-free intraoperative parathyroid gland (PG) identification. Since PTeye™ has been investigated only in a "blinded" manner to date, this study describes the preliminary impressions of PTeye™ when used by surgeons without being blinded to the device output. Methods Patients undergoing thyroid and parathyroid procedures were prospectively recruited. Target tissues were intraoperatively assessed with PTeye™. The surgeon's confidence in PG identification was recorded concomitantly with NIRAF parameters that were output in real-time from PTeye™. Results A retrospective review of prospectively collected data on 83 patients was performed. PTeye™ was used for interrogating 336 target tissues in 46 parathyroid and 37 thyroid procedures. PTeye™ yielded an overall accuracy of 94.3% with a positive predictive value of 93.0% and a negative predictive value of 100%. An increase in confidence for intraoperative PG identification with PTeye™ was observed by all three participating high-volume surgeons, irrespective of their level of accrued surgical experience. Conclusions Probe-based NIRAF detection with PTeye™ can be a valuable adjunct device to intraoperatively identify PGs for surgeons of varied training and experience.
Texas wildfire survivors’ narratives and the meaning of everyday objects:

This study suggests the importance of focusing on lost objects after disasters and gauging the emotional registers and impacts of object loss to best understand and assist in wildfire victims' reco...
A Case-Based Review of Cerebral Venous Infarcts With Perfusion Imaging and Comparison to Arterial Ischemic Stroke

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) and cerebral venous infarcts (CVI) are diagnostic dilemmas secondary to their rarity, non-specific symptomatology at presentation, and variable imaging features. CVT is a relatively infrequent entity – seen in only 0.5 – 2% of stroke cases – and progresses to CVI in 50% of cases. CVT is particularly prevalent in the younger adult population and among women of childbearing age. It is a potentially life-threatening disease with devastating neurological complications if not addressed in a timely manner. However, when treated promptly, CVT has the potential for a more reversible course and favorable prognosis than arterial ischemic infarcts (AIS). The pathophysiology of cerebral venous infarcts (CVI) is distinct from that of AIS and is closely related to its potentially reversible nature. Familiarity with the normal and variant venous anatomy as well as the evolution of imaging findings is crucial in establishing diagnostic confidence. In recent years, the use of MR perfusion imaging (MRP) and arterial spin-labeling (ASL) have become more widespread in the imaging of AIS; similarly, MRP and ASL can potentially aid in diagnosing CVT/CVI. This review presents a case-based overview focusing on the classic imaging characteristics of CVT and CVI with select cases including bolus MRP and/or ASL findings in the adult population. To date, no studies have investigated ASL in CVI and both bolus MRP and ASL together in CVT/CVI, which would be a potential area of interest to explore in future studies.
Protecting New Technologies in Latin America: The Case for Computer Software Patents in Argentina

ions (like text or a mathematical formula) by itself.471 Patentability of software should be allowed when it is new, not obvious, and has an effect, or the potential to produce an effect, on any economic activity. This is true regardless of the way the software is claimed, regardless of the purpose of the invention, and regardless of whether it produces a physical entity or a temporary concrete result.472 Software developers should pursue the patentability of their inventions in Argentina and challenge any decision against them that are based on misconceptions of what they seek to be patented. Argentina should follow modern trends and expand the concepts of 'technical effect' and 'industrial appli467. See id. at 9-10,19. 468. Evans & Layne-Farrar, supra note 436, at 71-72. 469. Id. at 72. 470. See New BSD License, http://www.opensource.org/licenses/bsd-license.php (last visited Jan. 23, 2007). For example, the only restriction in the BSD license is to retain the copyright notice. 471. See Case T-0935/97-3.5.1, Int'l Bus. Mach. Corp., Bd. of Appeal of the EPO, 1 9-10 (Feb. 4, 1999), available at http://legal.european-patent-office.orgdg3/pdff t970935eu1.pdf. 472. Argentine Patent Law, supra note 1, art. 4. 20071 403 404 INTER-AMERICAN LAW REVIEW [Vol. 38:2 cation' to encompass new technologies. There are policy and legal reasons to do so as balanced protection of computer programs under patents is a desirable tool to foster a strong software industry and to promote international trade by harmonizing patent laws.
The Role of Information in Resolution Trust Corporation Auctions of Failed Thrifts

This paper performs empirical tests of alternative auction models, based on the auctions of failed thrifts conducted by the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC). RTC auctions are especially appealing because of the availability of a well-defined signal of underlying value as well as a measure of potential competition, both missing in previous studies of auctions of failed financial institutions. The evidence suggests that these transactions are best described as individual private value auctions and that they are significantly different from the takeovers of failed financial institutions previously studied.
The Language of Machines: an Introduction to Computability and Formal Languages

An up-to-date, authoritative text for courses in theory of computability and languages. The authors redefine the building blocks of automata theory by offering a single unified model encompassing all traditional types of computing machines and "real world" electronic computers. This reformulation of computablity and formal language theory provides a framework for building a body of knowledge. A solutions manual and an instructor's software disk are also available.
Laboratory experiments and observations of cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies impinging on an island

[1] Laboratory experiments are conducted to investigate the interactions of self-propagating barotropic cyclones and baroclinic anticyclones with an island. Results are interpreted in the context of observations around Okinawa Island, Japan, where ubiquitous arrivals of cyclones and anticyclones on the southeastern side of the island influence the flow around it, thereby impacting both the Ryukyu Current's and the Kuroshio's transport. In the laboratory, baroclinic anticyclones generate a buoyant current that flows clockwise around an island whereas barotropic cyclones generate a counterclockwise current. In both cases, the interaction is governed by conservation of circulation Γ around the island, which establishes a balance between the dissipation along the island in contact with the eddy and the dissipation along the island in contact with the generated current. Laboratory results and scaling analysis suggest that the interaction between an anticyclone (cyclone) and Okinawa Island should result in an instantaneous increase (decrease) of the Ryukyu Current transport and a delayed increase (decrease) of the Kuroshio transport. The estimated delays are in good agreement with those obtained with field measurements suggesting that the dynamics at play in the laboratory may be relevant for the flow around Okinawa Island.
Reflecting On Models For Online Learning In Theory & Practice *

This paper investigates the application of several well-known pedagogical models to the design and delivery of a series of blended workshops on online learning. The models were the five-stage e-moderating model for teaching and learning online, e-tivities, the e-learning ladder and communities of practice. The workshop series was aimed at academics and teaching librarians in a campus-based university. Its objective was to introduce them to some of the pedagogies and technologies in blended learning. Some of the participants were interested in delivering library and information skills classes online while others wanted to learn how to enhance the online elements of their existing courses. The tutor/moderator designed the workshops using the five-stage model for e-moderating as a framework. The model was presented to the participants as they progressed through the stages. Issues raised by the workshops included socialisation, technology, the role of the moderator, face-to-face classes, pace of progress through the stages and transfer to teaching practice. The class compared the five-stage model to the e-learning ladder and communities of practice to see how they addressed these issues. The paper looks back at the workshop and the practical and theoretical issues that it raised. It concludes with some issues for future research.