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• The background to 'Science as a Vocation' in Max Weber's own work. • Weber's rare yet highly perceptive statements on the origins of modern science • What made Weber so outstanding a scholar In his 1917 lecture for Munich students (most often entitled in English translation "Science as a Vocation"), Max Weber addressed numerous issues: not only how "profession" and "calling" are related in science and scholarship, but also Entzauberung ("disenchantment"); rationality and its limits; ultimate values; and the field of tension between science and religion. The present essay locates these themes in Weber's oeuvre from 1911 onward, and analyses how they resonate and culminate in Weber's address in 1917. It is in 1911 that he decided to engage with the problem that was to stand central in his thinking until his death in 1920: the nature and causes of certain specific turns in the course of European history which, so he argued, have proven to be of "universal significance." Special attention is given in the present essay to how Weber dealt in this connection with the rise of modern science and the rise of modern tonal harmony. A concluding section explains what, over a century later, makes reading Weber still so rewarding an experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An editorial is presented which addresses the end of the author's tenure as the editor at the History of Science Society (HSS), and it his mentions his concerns about peer review (refereeing), as well as information about the views and sentiments of authors. The manuscript review process is examined, along with the history of science, editor-author relations, and copy editing.

The sol-gel technique has been utilized for the preparation of sorbent glass material incorporated with the ligand 2,2'-(imidazolidine-1,3-diylbis (methylene))bis(3,5-di- tert-butylphenol). Two procedures were used for the synthesis of the silica based material: (i) one step process under acidic conditions, (ii). A two steps procedure, using an acidic catalyst for the hydrolysis stage, and condensation of the silanol groups under basic conditions. The preparation conditions affect the morphological properties of the matrices and thus their sorption properties. The efficiency of Cu, Ni and Cd removal from aqueous solutions have been studied using batch experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented that discusses issue articles on science historian Joseph Needham and his multi-volume work "Science and Civilisation in China" ("SCC"), noting articles jointly published in the magazine "Technology and Culture."

An introduction is presented in which the author discusses articles within a special section of the journal about the topic of translation in the history of science

Background: Walkway codes and standards are created through consensus by committees based on a number of factors, including historical precedence, common practice, cost, and, sometimes, empirical data. The authors maintain that codes and standards that can have an impact on human safety and welfare should give consideration in their formulation to the results of pertinent scientific research.Purpose: This article extends a companion one in examining many elements of common walkway codes and standards related specifically to lighting, warnings and markings. It indicates which elements are based on or supported by empirical data; and which elements could benefit from additional scientific research.Practical Applications: This article identifies areas in which additional research leading toward scientific based codes and standards may be beneficial in enhancing the safety of pedestrian walkway surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented to this issue which discusses the international scope of the journal and the History of Science Society, the inclusion of reviews of books not written in English, and editorial insights into what makes an article acceptable to the journal.

ABSTRACT Deep venous thrombosis ( DVT) is a potentially serious medical disorder, which may result in pulmonary embolism and death. Compression ultrasound is the investigation modality of choice for the diagnosis of DVT of the lower limb. Diagnosis of proximal thrombosis involving the pelvic veins is difficult and is usually made only after the thrombus extends into the veins of the lower limb. We present six cases of incidental uterine vein thrombosis diagnosed by transvaginal ultrasound. Our aim is to describe the technique of the examination of pelvic veins and criteria that could be used to diagnose uterine vein thrombosis. We also highlight difficulties in the management of women diagnosed with asymptomatic uterine vein thrombi as there is little evidence to guide clinicians in choosing between different treatment options. Copyright © 2013 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses several concepts aimed at preventing another financial crisis on the scale of the Global Financial Crisis of the early 21st century, including information on government programs which provided assistance to financial institutions such as Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. The U.S. government's regulatory response to the Global Financial Crisis is examined, including an analysis of the nation's Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

The article presents the report of the Répertoire International de la Presse Musicale (RIPM) to the International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres (IAML). The report includes information on RIPM's publications including the full-text RIPM Online Archive and the online RIPM Retrospective Index to Music Periodicals, and states that RIPM successfully applied for grant funding from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.

Objectives. Conflict between sensory–motor central nervous processing generates somaesthetic disturbances, including pain, in healthy volunteers (HVs). Such conflict has been proposed as a potential cause of pain that occurs in the absence of injury or when the pain response is disproportionate to the injury. Fibromyalgia (FMS) exemplifies the former state. We hypothesized that the artificial generation of such conflict would exacerbate somaesthetic perceptions including pain in FMS greater than in HVs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Répertoire international de la presse musicale (RIPM) has evolved from an annotated index of important nineteenth-century music journals to a project that will offer detailed and complex full-text access to a large number of music periodicals published between 1800 and 1950. The authors discuss the background of the project, the funding, and the technology; make comparisons with similar indexing projects, and conclude with an overview of the forthcoming RIPM Online Archive of Music Periodicals (full-text). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The charge redistribution that occurs within dipolar molecules as they self-assemble into organized organic monolayer films has been studied. The extent of charge transfer is probed by work function measurements, using low-energy photoelectron spectroscopy (LEPS), contact potential difference (CPD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), with the latter providing fine details about the internal charge distribution along the molecule. In addition, two-photon photoelectron spectroscopy is applied to investigate the electronic structure of the adsorbed layers. We show that charge transfer acts to reduce the dipole−dipole interaction between the molecules but may either decrease or increase the molecule-to-surface dipole moment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To investigate whether infants who died of SIDS were more likely to have higher acute and lifetime average exposures to outdoor carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) than comparison healthy infants. Methods: A total of 169 case and 169 matched control infants born between 1988 and 1992, were studied. CO and NO2 concentrations, averaged for all days within the infant's lifespan, and the last 30 days, 7 days 3 days and 1 day of life were obtained from air pollutant data provided by the California Air Resources Board. Results: Based on monthly aggregated data, average CO and particularly NO2 were associated with SIDS count, even after adjustment for seasonal trends. SIDS outcome was not significantly associated with high average outdoor CO levels for any time period. However, high average outdoor NO2 levels on the last day of the infant's exposure period were significantly associated with SIDS; the adjusted odds ratio was 2.34 (95% CI 1.13 to 4.87). Conclusions: SIDS may be related to high levels of acute outdoor NO2 exposure during the last day of life. Further studies ore needed to replicate this finding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem: Evidence exists to suggest that working with computer terminals and keyboards is associated with the development and exacerbation of a range of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Research has suggested that psychosocial factors may be of more importance than computer use factors in the development of MSDs in the computing workplace. Method: A questionnaire-based study was undertaken to test this hypothesis in a sample of 67 call center workers. A Spearman''s rho was performed on the data, as well as χ2 tests on the individual variables. Results: It was found that overall, computer use factors were significantly associated with self-reporting of MSD symptoms, whereas psychosocial factors had no such association. However, certain individual psychosocial factors emerged as having a significant association with MSD symptoms. Discussion: The findings suggest that specific areas of call center work have associations with poor worker health and possible long-term MSD problems. These areas appear to be workload and particular management–worker relations, rather than computer use. Summary: This suggests that the relationship among computer use, psychosocial factors, and MSD is a complex area that would benefit from more research. Impact on industry: This study raises issues about the importance of psychosocial and organizational factors and employee welfare in the call center working environment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sustained release polymeric gene delivery systems offer increased resistance to nuclease degradation, increased amounts of plasmid DNA (pDNA) uptake, and the possibility of control in dosing and sustained duration of pDNA administration. Furthermore, such a system lacks the inherent problems associated with viral vectors. Biodegradable and biocompatible poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) polymer was used to enacapsulate pDNA (alkaline phosphatase, AP, a reporter gene) in submicron size particles. Gene expression mediated by the nanoparticles (NP) was evaluated in vitro and in vivo in comparison to cationic-liposome delivery. Nano size range (600 nm) pDNA-loaded in poly(DL-lactideco-glycolide) polymer particles with high encapsulation efficiency (70%) were formulated, exhibiting sustained release of pDNA of over a month. The entrapped plasmid maintained its structural and functional integrity. In vitro transfection by pDNA-NP resulted in significantly higher expression levels in comparison to naked pDNA. Furthermore, AP levels increased when the transfection time was extended, indicating sustained activity of pDNA. However, gene expression was significantly lower in comparison with standard liposomal transfection. Seven days after i.m. injections in rats, naked pDNA and pDNA-NP were found to be significantly more potent (1-2 orders of magnitude) than liposomal pDNA. Plasmid DNA-NP treatment exhibited increased AP expression after 7 and 28 days indicating sustained activity of the NP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on Répertoire International de Presse Musicale (RIPM). Topics discussed include chronological scope and collaboration of RIPM and Le Repertoire international de litterature musicale (RILM), RIPM website, and RIPM electronic- Library of Music Periodicals. Also being discussed is RIPM Retrospective Index to Music Periodicals.

Focuses on the publication at the International Association of Music Libraries convention in San Sebastian, Spain. Highlights on the session of the International Standard Music Number (ISMN); Effort of the International Music Publishers Directory on the revision of the ISMN Directory; Charges for the services of the ISMN agencies.

Only in the past decade has a role of heredity in substance abuse been established as a result of extensive twin and family studies. More recently, several candidate genes have been investigated for their possible role in alcoholism and cocaine abuse. Specific genetic factors in opioid substance abuse have not been investigated in man, although animal studies suggest that quantitative trait loci (QTLs) can be identified that predispose mice both to morphine and alcohol preference. Central dopaminergic pathways figure prominently in drug-mediated reinforcement suggesting that dopamine receptors are likely candidates for association with substance abuse in man. In addition, we recently reported an association between a human personality trait, Novelty Seeking and the long alleles (represented chiefly by the 7-repeat) of the D4 dopamine receptor (D4DR) exon III polymorphism. The personality trait of Novelty Seeking is also more pronounced in substance abusers, who score higher in this dimension than control subjects. The twin role of dopamine receptors in mediating Novelty Seeking and drugreinforcement prompted us to examine a group of Israeli heroin addicts for prevalence of the D4DR repeat polymorphism. We now show that the 7-repeat allele is significantly over-represented in the opioid-dependent cohort and confers a relative risk of 2.46. To our knowledge this is the first report of an association between a specific genetic polymorphism and opioid addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents news briefs from the Répertoire international de la presse musicale (RIPM), an organization that documents music periodicals, as of December 2013. As of July 2013, RIPM has manually indexed 201 music periodicals in 292 printed volumes as well as in 705,000 annotated electronic records. The online database RIPM e-Library will be released in 2013. Associate Language Editors Jutta Lambrecht and Michaela Feemanova joined RIPM.

An introduction is presented in which the Editor discusses various reports within the journal on topics including explanation in the history of science, historians, and Babylonia.

The article discusses the first installment of Répertoire International de la Presse Musicale (RIPM) Online Archive which is a full-text version of the journals indexed in RIPM Retrospective Index to Music Periodicals. It mentions that the installment has 51 journals in ten languages published between 1805-1962. A list of the contained periodicals is presented including "La Musica," "La Zarzuela," and "La Hollande musicale."

The article provides updates on the Repertoire International de la presse Musicale (RIPM). It mentions that the approaching RIPM Archive was presented during the two session of the Congress. It notes that the first Archive will be released in 2009 and its beta testing will commence before the end of 2008. It also mentions that the RIPM Full-Text Supplement will be available on year after the RIPM Online Archive of Music Periodicals is available. In addition, there are four RIPM groups created in Latin America located specifically in Argentina, Greece, Brazil, and Chile. RIPM also received grants from National Endowment for the Humanities for the development of the RIPM Online Archive and from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for the works on the 20th century British journals.

The article reports on developments related to Répertoire International de la Presse Musicale (RIPM). RIPM celebrates its 25th anniversary, the publication of its 200th volume, and the birth of the RIPM Online Archive of Music Periodicals. A model of the RIPM full-text Archive has been created. RIPM's new Americas Initiative has two goals which are to extend RIPM activities to Latin America and to expand RIPM's treatment to US music journals.

Pays tribute to Dutch physicist Casper Hakfoort who died on March 4, 1999. Information on Hakfoort's dissertation 'Optics in the Age of Euler: Conceptions of the Nature of Light, 1700-1795'; Proponent of the energeticist stance.

Leukocytes derived from the peripheral blood of peripheral patients demonstrated an. enhanced chemotactic response compared with leukocytes from healthy subjects. No significant difference was detected between the chemotactic response of leukocytes from patients with minimal or no skin involvement and those from patients with extensive lesions. Psoriatic leukocytes also had a significantly higher capacity to engulf 125I labeled Shigella flexneri than control leukocytes. It is postulated that a decrease in the cyclic AMP/cyclic GMP ratio in psoriatic leukocytes, similar to the imbalance of these 2 cyclic nucleotides found in the lesional epidermis of psoriasis, might be the cause of their enhanced chemotactic and phagocytic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is provided to articles within the issue on topics, including entomology during the Spanish Civil War, the history of science and the Spanish leader Francisco Franco's ideology.

This "Viewpoint" section takes up the question of what, if anything, historians of science can learn from The History Manifesto, initially published in the fall of 2014. One summary, two essay reviews, and nine short comments are followed by remarks by the authors of the manifesto, Jo Guldi and David Armitage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to the ''A Second Look'' sections is presented in which the editor discusses the list of classics in the history of science, the questions about the book’s author, its subject mat- ter, its origins, and what value it may still have.

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the journal in which authors reconsider book reviews they wrote on the book "Leviathan and the Air-Pump" by Steven Shapin and Simon Schaffer.

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within a special section of the issue on the topic of science and orthodox Christianity.

Background: Blast-explosion may cause traumatic brain injury (TBI), leading to post-concussion syndrome (PCS). In studies on military personnel, PCS symptoms are highly similar to those occurring in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), questioning the overlap between these syndromes. In the current study we assessed PCS and PTSD in civilians following exposure to rocket attacks. We hypothesized that PCS symptomatology and brain connectivity will be associated with the objective physical exposure, while PTSD symptomatology will be associated with the subjective mental experience. Methods: Two hundred eighty nine residents of explosion sites have participated in the current study. Participants completed self-report of PCS and PTSD. The association between objective and subjective factors of blast and clinical outcomes was assessed using multivariate analysis. White-matter (WM) alterations and cognitive abilities were assessed in a sub-group of participants (n = 46) and non-exposed controls (n = 16). Non-parametric analysis was used to compare connectivity and cognition between the groups. Results: Blast-exposed individuals reported higher PTSD and PCS symptomatology. Among exposed individuals, those who were directly exposed to blast, reported higher levels of subjective feeling of danger and presented WM hypoconnectivity. Cognitive abilities did not differ between groups. Several risk factors for the development of PCS and PTSD were identified. Conclusions: Civilians exposed to blast present higher PCS/PTSD symptomatology as well as WM hypoconnectivity. Although symptoms are sub-clinical, they might lead to the future development of a full-blown syndrome and should be considered carefully. The similarities between PCS and PTSD suggest that despite the different etiology, namely, the physical trauma in PCS and the emotional trauma in PTSD, these are not distinct syndromes, but rather represent a combined biopsychological disorder with a wide spectrum of behavioral, emotional, cognitive and neurological symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a report on the Répertoire international de la presse musicale (RIPM) project of the International Association of Music Libraries (IAML), taken from the proceedings of the IAML conference, held between July 22 and July 27, 2012 in Montréal, Quebec, citing additions to its online Retrospective Index to Music Periodicals, the RIPM e-Library of Music Periodicals, and the RIPM Online Archive of Music Periodicals.

The article offers information on the music periodicals published by the Répertoire international de la presse musicale (RIPM). They include "The New Musical Magazine, Review and Register," "The English Musical Gazette," "Monthly Intelligencer," "The Musical Monthly and Repertoire of Literature, the Drama and the Arts" and "Penguin Music Magazine & Music." Overall, the association has published 20,000 new annotated records. Furthermore, the records are available in CD-ROM and at the association's web.

The article reports on the developments of the Repertoire international de la presse musicale (RIPM). Its RIPM Online and on CD-ROM database has grown to 475,000 annotated citations. A major grant from the U.S. National Endowment for the Humanities has just been received by RIPM for work on twentieth-century music journals. In 2005, EBSCO has joined as publisher of RIPM Online. The 25th anniversary of RIPM will be celebrated in July 2006.

Comments on the examination of the role of heredity in both alcohol and opioid abuse. Role of candidate polymorphism in the serotonin transporter promoter region; Observation of a trend for excess homozygosity; Effect of the lack of dopamine receptor.

Recounts the accomplishments achieved by the publication group Répertoire International de la Presse Musicale. Establishment of indexing norms; Application of necessary computer programs; Participation of scholars and institutions from Western European countries and North America.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to a review of the book "How Modern Science Came into the World" written by Ofer Gal and originally published in the 2012 edition of the journal.

Provides a correction to an article about the association between fibromyalgia and the dopamine D4 receptor exon III repeat polymorphism, published in a 2004 issue of "Molecular Psychiatry."

Presents a correction to the article published in the 2004 issue of "Molecular Psychiatry."

Abstract: A novel method for preparation of durable standards of biological samples for quantitative analysis by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) has been developed. Rat brain tissue samples were ground and then spiked by aqueous solutions containing controlled amounts of trace metals of interest. The spiked rat brain samples were then encapsulated in a sol–gel matrix produced by tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS). The spiked standards were prepared by addition of 0–50μgg−1 of eight elements (Li, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn) to the biological samples. The correlation coefficients of the calibration curves for all elements tested were better than 0.97. Carbon-13, found in all biological samples, was used as an internal standard to correct for variations in the amount of material ablated and carried to the ICP-MS plasma torch, a common problem in LA-ICP-MS analysis. The results of analysis of the standards showed very good repeatability and homogeneity as well as long room temperature shelf life. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents the study which aims to assess the children's neurodevelopmental outcome of isolated fetal macrocephaly. The study analyzed the performance of fetuses diagnosed with isolated macrocephaly through standardized neuropsychological battery and compared with children who are normocephalic. The results indicate that base from the multiple linear regression analysis, paternal head circumference is the only important variable in predicting the child's cognitive functioning.

Neuropsychological syndromes including schizophrenia often do not manifest until late adolescence or early adulthood. Studies attributing a role in brain maintenance to the immune system led us to propose that malfunction of immune-dependent regulation of brain functions at adolescence underlies the late onset of such diseases/syndromes. One such function is sensorimotor gating, the ability to segregate a continuous stream of sensory and cognitive information, and to selectively allocate attention to a significant event by silencing the background (measured by prepulse inhibition; PPI). This activity is impaired in schizophrenia, as well as in several other neuropsychological diseases. Using a model of prenatal immune activation (maternal polyriboinosinic–polyribocytidylic acid (poly I:C) injection), often used as a model for schizophrenia, and in which abnormal PPI has a delayed appearance, we demonstrated a form of immune deficit in the adult offspring. Similar abnormal PPI with a delayed appearance was found in congenitally immune-deficient mice (severe combined immune deficient, SCID), and could be reversed by immune reconstitution. This functional deficit correlated with impairment of both hippocampal neurogenesis and expression of the gene encoding kisspeptin (Kiss1) that manifested at adulthood. Moreover, exogenous administration of a kisspeptin-derived peptide partially reversed the gating deficits in the SCID mice. Our results suggest that a form of congenital immune deficiency may be a key factor that determines manifestation of developmental neuropsychological disorders with onset only at early adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]