The poetic is political….and other notes on engaged scholarship

Instrumental and objectivist logics maintain a hegemonic place in Western scholarship, reasoning skills powerfully equipped to address certain dilemmas even as they may obscure other ways of knowing. In this chapter, we enlarge dominant notions of rationality by offering an aesthetic view of knowledge as vital for engaged communication scholarship. Our interest in aesthetic logics parallels concerns that have led scholars to develop feminist practices of inquiry (e.g., Harding, 1998; Hesse-Biber, 2007), interrogate the aesthetics of representations in West-centric knowledge structures from postcolonial and Subaltern Studies standpoints (e.g., Broadfoot & Munshi, 2007; Dutta, 2007, 2008), focus on autoethnographic and poetic accounts ( e.g., Carr, 2003; Ellingson, 2009), introduce reflexivity and the politics of personhood in the scholarly process ( e.g., Harding, 1991; Reinharz, 1992), and adopt narrative and dialogic understandings of knowledge constructions (e.g., Frank, 2005; Harter, 2005). Loosely coupled, these research trajectories advance alternative rationalities for witnessing and answering salient social issues. We argue for the theoretical and practical incorporation of aesthetic rationalities in engaged scholarship-logics of poss ibility that cultivate individuals \u27 capacities to imagine otherwise. Reimagining scholarly inquiry to reflect and embrace aesthetic logics requires us to rethink our methods of data collection, analysis, and representation and our own roles as researchers and writers . When we resist the art/science dichotomy, opportunities abound for sensemaking and representation that embody aesthetic ways of knowing. Furthermore, rejection of dichotomous thinking opens up possibilities for listening to ways of knowing that lie beyond the realm of Eurocentric knowledge structures (Dutta, in press). Even after the interpretive turn, instrumental and objectivist logics often underlie and sometimes constrain the processes and products of social scientific research (Denzin & Lincoln, 2005). Traditional structures and modes of research offer important but limited conceptualizations of knowing. We can open ourselves to other ways of asking questions that include overt attention to aesthetic sensibilities . We need not reject or abandon traditional modes of research. Instead, we can enlarge the realm of possibilities for what counts as accepted research practices and advance methods for studying the aesthetic nature of communal life (Ellingson, 2009). In this chapter, we develop an understanding of rationality that incorporates imagination, and we explore methodologies that draw on creative sensibilities. We then articul ate the salience of creativity for rendering credible previously subjugated voices, and we articulate its value for engaged communication theory and research

Curvature of blended rolled edge reflectors at the shadow boundary contour

A technique is advanced for computing the radius of curvature of blended rolled edge reflector surfaces at the shadow boundary, in the plane perpendicular to the shadow boundary contour. This curvature must be known in order to compute the spurious endpoint contributions in the physical optics (PO) solution for the scattering from reflectors with rolled edges. The technique is applicable to reflectors with radially-defined rim-shapes and rolled edge terminations. The radius of curvature for several basic reflector systems is computed, and it is shown that this curvature can vary greatly along the shadow boundary contour. Finally, the total PO field in the target zone of a sample compact range system is computed and corrected using the shadow boundary radius of curvature, obtained using the technique. It is shown that the fields obtained are a better approximation to the true scattered fields

Most of the genetic covariation between major depressive and alcohol use disorders is explained by trait measures of negative emotionality and behavioral control

Background Mental health disorders commonly co-occur, even between conceptually distinct syndromes, such as internalizing and externalizing disorders. The current study investigated whether phenotypic, genetic, and environmental variance in negative emotionality and behavioral control account for the covariation between major depressive disorder (MDD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD). Method A total of 3623 members of a national twin registry were administered structured diagnostic telephone interviews that included assessments of lifetime histories of MDD and AUD, and were mailed self-report personality questionnaires that assessed stress reactivity (SR) and behavioral control (CON). A series of biometric models were fitted to partition the proportion of covariance between MDD and AUD into SR and CON. Results A statistically significant proportion of the correlation between MDD and AUD was due to variance specific to SR (men = 0.31, women = 0.27) and CON (men = 0.20, women = 0.19). Further, genetic factors explained a large proportion of this correlation (0.63), with unique environmental factors explaining the rest. SR explained a significant proportion of the genetic (0.33) and environmental (0.23) overlap between MDD and AUD. In contrast, variance specific to CON accounted for genetic overlap (0.32), but not environmental overlap (0.004). In total, SR and CON accounted for approximately 70% of the genetic and 20% of the environmental covariation between MDD and AUD. Conclusions This is the first study to demonstrate that negative emotionality and behavioral control confer risk for the co-occurrence of MDD and AUD via genetic factors. These findings are consistent with the aims of NIMH's RDoC proposal to elucidate how transdiagnostic risk factors drive psychopathology

Phospholipid reactivation of plasmalogen metabolism

This report is concerned mainly with the properties of an enzyme from rat liver microsomes which hydrolyzes the alkenyl ether bond of 1‐(1′‐alk‐1′‐enyl)‐glycero‐3‐phosphoryl‐choline (alkenyl‐GPC hydrolase).Destruction of the normal environment of the microsomes by treatment with phospholipases A or C caused inactivation of the alkenyl‐GPC hydrolase, which was then partially reactivated by the addition of exogenous phospholipids. Both sphingomyelin and diacyl‐GPC were efficient in restoring activity; diacyl‐GPE was less effective; and monoacyl‐GPC and monoacyl‐GPE were ineffective. The presence of two long hydrocarbon chains in the lipid activator is apparently required for reactivation, suggesting that interaction of hydrophobic areas of the enzyme with the phospholipid is necessary for maximal activity. High concentrations of sucrose mimicked the effect of phospholipids, and because the sucrose and diacyl‐GPC did not show an additive effect, they may reactivate the enzyme in a similar manner.Disrupting the enzyme’s environment by freezing and thawing the preparation also resulted in a loss of enzymatic activity, which was restored by added exogenous phospholipids.The alkenyl‐GPC hydrolase was inhibited by imidazole and some of its derivatives. Histidine and N‐acetyl histidine did not inhibit the enzyme, presumably due to the presence of a negative charge on the carboxyl group rather than the steric bulk of that group, since histidine methyl ester did inhibit the enzyme. Kinetic evidence showed imidazole to be a competitive inhibitor. The enzymatic activity of imidazole‐treated microsomes also increased following addition of exogenous phospholipids. Imidazole inhibition differed from the phospholipase A‐inactivation in that it was partially reversed by KCl, but not by sucrose. Imidazole did not inhibit other microsomal enzymes tested, indicating that it is not a general inhibitor of membrane‐associated enzymes.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141883/1/lipd0111.pd

New X-ray Clusters in the EMSS II: Optical Properties

We present optical images for 9 new clusters of galaxies we have found in a reanalysis of the Einstein IPC images comprising the Extended Medium Sensitivity Survey (EMSS). Based on the presence of a red sequence of galaxies in a color-magnitude (CM) diagram, a redshift is estimated for each cluster. Galaxy overdensities (cluster richnesses) are measured in each field using the B_gc statistic which allows their plausible identification with the X-ray emission. The nature of our X-ray detection algorithm suggests that most of these clusters have low X-ray surface brightness (LSB) compared to the previously known EMSS clusters. We compare the optical and X-ray observations of these clusters with the well-studied Canadian Network for Observational Cosmology (CNOC) subsample of the EMSS, and conclude that the new clusters exhibit a similar range of optical richnesses, X-ray luminosities, and, somewhat surprisingly, galaxy populations as the predominantly rich, relaxed EMSS/CNOC clusters.Comment: Accepted to ApJ, 17 pages, 14 figures, uses emulateapj5.st

Multiwavelength Mass Comparisons of the z~0.3 CNOC Cluster Sample

Results are presented from a detailed analysis of optical and X-ray observations of moderate-redshift galaxy clusters from the Canadian Network for Observational Cosmology (CNOC) subsample of the EMSS. The combination of extensive optical and deep X-ray observations of these clusters make them ideal candidates for multiwavelength mass comparison studies. X-ray surface brightness profiles of 14 clusters with 0.17<z<0.55 are constructed from Chandra observations and fit to single and double beta-models. Spatially resolved temperature analysis is performed, indicating that five of the clusters in this sample exhibit temperature gradients within their inner 60-200 kpc. Integrated spectra extracted within R_2500 provide temperature, abundance, and luminosity information. Under assumptions of hydrostatic equilibrium and spherical symmetry, we derive gas and total masses within R_2500 and R_200. We find an average gas mass fraction within R_200 of 0.136 +/- 0.004, resulting in Omega_m=0.28 +/- 0.01 (formal error). We also derive dynamical masses for these clusters to R_200. We find no systematic bias between X-ray and dynamical methods across the sample, with an average M(dyn)/M(X-ray) = 0.97 +/- 0.05. We also compare X-ray masses to weak lensing mass estimates of a subset of our sample, resulting in a weighted average of M(lens)/M(X-ray) of 0.99 +/- 0.07. We investigate X-ray scaling relationships and find powerlaw slopes which are slightly steeper than the predictions of self-similar models, with an E(z)^(-1) Lx-Tx slope of 2.4 +/- 0.2 and an E(z) M_2500-Tx slope of 1.7 +/- 0.1. Relationships between red-sequence optical richness (B_gc,red) and global cluster X-ray properties (Tx, Lx and M_2500) are also examined and fitted.Comment: Astrophysical Journal, 48 pages, 11 figures, LaTeX. Added correction to surface brightness normalization of MS1512.4+3647, corrections to sample gas mass fractions and calculated value of Omega_m. Figure resolution has been reduced to comply with astro-ph upload requirement

Railcar waste transfer system hydrostatic test

Recent modifications have been performed on the T-Plant Railcar Waste Transfer System, This Acceptance Test Procedure (ATP) has been prepared to demonstrate that identified piping welds and mechanical connections incorporated during the modification are of high integrity and are acceptable for service. This will be achieved by implementation of a hydrostatic leak test