cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Investigation of the Impact of Fatigue and Aging on the Performance of Spatially Constrained Assembly Tasks Commonly Found in the Construction Industry

The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of fatigue and aging on the performance of spatially constrained drilling tasks that are observed within the construction industry. Eight younger (18–35 years) and eight older (45–60 years) participants were selected from the local community. Participants were presented with two conditions of localized muscle fatigue in the anterior musculature of the shoulder (No Fatigue and a Fatigue condition). During each condition, participants completed a series of drilling tasks at three levels of task difficulty; as defined by the spatial arrangement of the fasteners. The dependent variables; task completion time, error rate and muscle activation patterns (shoulder APDF and coactivity indices of the upper and lower arm), were measured using observations and electromyography of the muscles of the upper extremity. The presence of localized shoulder fatigue significantly reduced task completion times for both age groups at all levels of task difficulty. Further, e...
Explaining Ghetto Consumer Behavior: Hypotheses from Urban Sociology

That ghetto residents are disadvantaged consumers is a conclusion with which no consumer economist would argue. Caplovitz's [8] classic study focused the attention of academicians and government officials upon the unethical and illegal practices which had become commonplace in the low-income marketing system. Indeed, the term economic deviance has been used to describe the ghetto market subeconomy which provides consumer goods to those who are excluded, voluntarily or involuntarily, from the marketplace which serves those of middle and high incomes. The general conclusions of research describing the consumer practices of low-income ghetto residents support the concept of a deviant submarket. Policy recommendations for helping low-income ghetto consumers usually center upon increasing consumer com petencies through formal or informal consumer education programs, strengthening the enforcement of state and federal consumer protection laws, and encouraging the patronage of retail establishments outside of this subeconomy. More recently, An dreasen [4] has noted that the most effective remedial action might be to improve the subeconomy market itself, mainly through in creasing competition within the area. A review of the recent urban sociological literature reveals new insights into the purchase behaviors of ghetto residents. Drawing upon the conclusions of Wilson [24] and Kapsis [15], two conflicting hypotheses will be proposed: (1) ghetto consumers in organized neighborhoods maximize their satisfaction when shopping in the
Kinetic selection of morphology and growth velocity in electrochemical deposition

Ramified copper deposits were formed by electrochemical deposition from well supported acid sulfate solution under conditions of mixed kinetic and transport control. The growth velocity, morphology, and global rate of growth were measured over a range of applied driving force. Chloride was added to the solutions to modify the interfacial kinetics, and the kinetic parameters were obtained as a function of surface orientation by polarization measurements on copper single crystals. Chloride produces an anisotropic differential resistance to growth at the interface and a tendency toward high-velocity dendritic growth with formation of open low-density deposits.
Electrochemical Isotope Effect and Lithium Isotope Separation

A large electrochemical isotopic effect is observed upon the electrodeposition of lithium from solutions of propylene carbonate producing isotopically light metal deposits. The magnitude of fractionation is controlled by the applied overpotential and is largest close to equilibrium. Calculated partition function ratios for tetrahedrally coordinated lithium complexes and metallic lithium predict an equilibrium fractionation close to that measured experimentally.
Empirically derived analytic models of wide-area TCP connections

Analyzes 3 million TCP connections that occurred during 15 wide-area traffic traces. The traces were gathered at five "stub" networks and two internetwork gateways, providing a diverse look at wide-area traffic. The author derives analytic models describing the random variables associated with TELNET, NNTP, SMTP, and FTP connections. To assess these models the author presents a quantitative methodology for comparing their effectiveness with that of empirical models such as Tcplib [Danzig and Jamin, 1991]. The methodology also allows to determine which random variables show significant variation from site to site, over time, or between stub networks and internetwork gateways. Overall the author finds that the analytic models provide good descriptions, and generally model the various distributions as well as empirical models. >
Applying optical interconnects to electronic systems. Promise vs. practicality

Optical interconnects have long promised to solve a number of problems assumed to exist in electronic systems. A wealth of technology exists in the area, yet few electronic systems today employ optical interconnects. In many cases, it is the cost of optical interconnects which prevents their widespread adoption, as little fundamental advantage is offered by most applications of optical interconnects. The decreasing cost of optoelectronic technology and of its incorporation into electronic systems will enable further penetration of the market. Plastic fiber is likely to provide a competitive solution for intercabinet interconnects, while both high density fiber backplanes and polymer backplanes are likely to impact first high performance computer systems and eventually a broader range of systems, while free space interconnects will facilitate both advanced versions of existing architectures and the implementation of new systems. The key to practical implementation lies in providing transparency to the system integrator to minimize the departure from established practices. Significant progress is also being made in a new direction in which the inherent advantages of optics can be exploited in unique architectures, while still implementing logic functions in electronics, however such systems are unlikely to find widespread use in the near future.
METABOLIC EFFECTS IN MAN OF THE ACETICACID ANALOGUES OF THYROXINE AND TRIIODOTHYRONINE

Triiodothyroacetic acid (3:5-diiodo-4-(3′-iodo-4′-hydroxyphenoxy)-phenyl acetic acid—hereinafter called triac) has been reported to cause, within thirty minutes, an increase in oxygen consumption in rat kidney slices (1). This effect was largely gone within four hours. In rats, triac and tetraiodothyroacetic acid (tetrac) have been tested for their antigoitrogenic properties and their effect on oxygen consumption. In general, both compounds are effective and have about one-tenth the potency of their respective parent compounds (2). It has been further shown that triac can induce changes in the feathers of birds, similar to those induced by thyroid hormone (3). In human subjects, triac has been reported to cause remission in the clinical features of myxedema and a depression in the serum cholesterol level, without change in basal oxygen consumption (4). In another study on a single case of myxedema a rise in basal metabolic rate (BMR) was observed after the administration of triac (5). It has been suggeste...
Exogenous sugars overcome incompatibility in hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.)

Petreatment of hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) stigmas with L M or 2 M sugar solutions before pollination with incompatible pollen, or pollination with 1∶1 mixtures of incompatible pollen and finely ground sugars, prevented rejection of incompatible pollen by the stigma surface. Lower sugar concentrations or lower ratios of sugar to pollen were less effective. No specificity for overcoming incompatibility was observed among 18 simple sugars and related sugar compounds.
Characterization of transient cavitation in gas sparged solutions exposed to megasonic field using cyclic voltammetry

The application of megasonic energy in semiconductor cleaning solutions has been shown to be very effective in improving the particle removal efficiency (PRE). There has been a significant interest in understanding the phenomena of cavitation and acoustic streaming, which are known to play an important role in particle removal during megasonic cleaning. In the present work, transient cavitation in acoustically (~1MHz frequency) irradiated aqueous solutions containing different dissolved gases (Ar, N"2 and CO"2) has been characterized with a 25@mm diameter microelectrode using high resolution cyclic voltammetry. Specifically, using ferricyanide as an electrochemical probe, current transients are obtained as a function of time. A simple mathematical analysis based on diffusion is used to correlate the collapse characteristics of a transient cavity to the magnitude of current peaks and the time scale of rise and fall in current.
The Dopaminergic Innervation of Monkey Entorhinal Cortex

Dopamine has been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, and the entorhinal cortex (ERC) is thought to be a site of structural pathology in this disorder. However, relatively little is known about the dopaminergic (DA) innervation of ERC in the primate brain. In this study, immunohistochemical methods and antibodies directed against tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine were used to determine the organization of DA axons in the ERC of macaque monkeys. The anti-TH antibody used in this study appeared predominantly to identify DA axons, as demonstrated by its failure to label fibers that were immunoreactive with an antibody against dopamine-beta-hydroxylase in double-labeling experiments. In addition, the regional and laminar distributions of TH-immunoreactive fibers were strikingly similar to those labeled with the anti-dopamine antibody. With both antibodies, cytoarchitectonically identified subdivisions of monkey ERC (Amaral et al., 1987) differed in both the density and laminar distribution of labeled fibers. Immunoreactive processes exhibited a substantial rostral-to-caudal gradient of decreasing density across subdivisions of ERC, and the density of labeled fibers also decreased from medial to lateral in the rostral but not in the caudal subdivisions of ERC. The laminar distribution of labeled fibers differed both between and within subdivisions. For example, in the olfactory and rostral subdivisions of ERC, the superficial layers contained a very high density of immunoreactive processes, whereas in the intermediate region, three bands of labeled fibers were seen in layers I, III-IV, and VI. In addition, radial columns of fibers interdigitated with areas of decreased density were present between layers I and III. Although the overall density of labeled fibers was greater in lateral than in the caudal subdivisions of ERC, these regions had similar laminar distribution patterns. In these areas of monkey ERC, labeled processes were highest in density in deep layer I, and homogeneously distributed in the other cortical layers. These findings demonstrate that the DA innervation of monkey ERC is complex, and follows laminar- and subdivision-specific patterns. These patterns of distribution suggest the possible interactions that DA axons may have with other elements of ERC circuitry, and may provide insight into the possible functional roles of dopamine in ERC in both normal and disease states.
Dispersionless Limit of Integrable Systems in 2 + 1 Dimensions

A general scheme for construction of dispersionless limits of 2 + 1 dimensional integrable systems was described first in the article [1]. Now we give its description in more details. Let us consider the following overdetermined system of two first—order nonlinear partial differential equations on a function x = x(x, y, t): $$\begin{array}{*{20}{c}} {{{x}_{y}} = A({{x}_{x}}),} \hfill \\ {{{x}_{t}} = B({{x}_{x}}).} \hfill \\ \end{array}$$ (1)
Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II Deficiency Complicated by Mycobacterium avium Complex in a Boy of Mixed Ethnicity

Major histocompatibility complex class II (MHCII) deficiency represents a rare form of severe immunodeficiency associated with increased susceptibility to viral, bacterial, and fungal pathogens and commonly leads to failure to thrive and early death. This autosomal recessive disorder is caused by mutations in MHCII transcription regulator genes, resulting in impaired expression of MHCII, and it is usually seen in consanguineous populations. Our patient presented at age 15 months with a history of developmental delay, multiple respiratory infections and skin abscesses, and recently, at 5 years of age, he was found to have disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex. His mother is Mexican-American, and his father is Persian. Laboratory investigations showed hypogammaglobulinemia, modest T-lymphopenia, borderline mitogen responses, absent tetanus toxoid and candida antigen lymphoproliferative assays, and absent tetanus toxoid and Haemophilus influenzae type b antibody levels. Flow cytometry demonstrated absent HLA-DR antigen on monocytes and B-cells, and a diagnosis of MHCII deficiency was made. Genetic analysis yielded a homozygous pathogenic class II transactivator (CIITA) mutation. The same mutation was found in both parents. Coincidently, an Xq28 microduplication was identified and likely was the cause of the patient’s developmental delay. This patient demonstrated some of the typical features of MHCII deficiency with the addition of several unique findings: disseminated M. avium complex, homozygosity in a CIITA mutation despite remarkably diverse parental ethnicity, and coincident Xq28 microdeletion with mild intellectual disability.
Environmentally-regulated glycosome protein composition in the African trypanosome

Trypanosomes compartmentalize many metabolic enzymes in glycosomes, peroxisome-related microbodies that are essential to parasite survival. While it is understood that these dynamic organelles undergo profound changes in protein composition throughout life cycle differentiation, the adaptations that occur in response to changes in environmental conditions are less appreciated. We have adopted a fluorescent-organelle reporter system in procyclic Trypanosoma brucei by expressing a fluorescent protein (FP) fused to a glycosomal targeting sequence (peroxisome-targeting sequence 2 [PTS2]). In these cell lines, PTS2-FP is localized within import-competent glycosomes, and organelle composition can be analyzed by microscopy and flow cytometry. Using this reporter system, we have characterized parasite populations that differ in their glycosome composition. In glucose-rich medium, two parasite populations are observed; one population harbors glycosomes bearing the full repertoire of glycosome proteins, while the other parasite population contains glycosomes that lack the usual glycosome-resident proteins but do contain the glycosome membrane protein TbPEX11. Interestingly, these cells lack TbPEX13, a protein essential for the import of proteins into the glycosome. This bimodal distribution is lost in low-glucose medium. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that changes in environmental conditions trigger changes in glycosome protein composition. These findings demonstrate a level of procyclic glycosome diversity heretofore unappreciated and offer a system by which glycosome dynamics can be studied in live cells. This work adds to our growing understanding of how the regulation of glycosome composition relates to environmental sensing.
Hapten-Induced Contact Hypersensitivity, Autoimmune Reactions, and Tumor Regression: Plausibility of Mediating Antitumor Immunity

Haptens are small molecule irritants that bind to proteins and elicit an immune response. Haptens have been commonly used to study allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) using animal contact hypersensitivity (CHS) models. However, extensive research into contact hypersensitivity has offered a confusing and intriguing mechanism of allergic reactions occurring in the skin. The abilities of haptens to induce such reactions have been frequently utilized to study the mechanisms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to induce autoimmune-like responses such as autoimmune hemolytic anemia and to elicit viral wart and tumor regression. Hapten-induced tumor regression has been studied since the mid-1900s and relies on four major concepts: (1) ex vivo haptenation, (2) in situ haptenation, (3) epifocal hapten application, and (4) antigen-hapten conjugate injection. Each of these approaches elicits unique responses in mice and humans. The present review attempts to provide a critical appraisal of the hapten-mediated tumor treatments and offers insights for future development of the field.
The SILK flow diverter in the treatment of intracranial aneurysms.

The SILK flow diverter (SFD; Balt Extrusion, Montmorency, France) is a flow diverting stent used in the endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms. It works on the principle of redirecting flow away from the aneurysm sac, leading to occlusion over time. We present a systematic review on the clinical outcomes and complications of the SFD. A literature search for English language articles were conducted on PubMed, Medline and EMBASE for articles on the treatment of intracranial aneurysms with the SILK flow diverter. The inclusion criteria were n > 10, use of SFD only, data on complications and aneurysm occlusion rate (AOR). Eight studies with 285 patients and 317 intracranial aneurysms were included. The mean age was 52.7 years and nearly 80% were women. In terms of angiographic distribution, 86.8% of aneurysms were located in the anterior circulation and 13.2% in the posterior circulation. As for the aneurysm size, 37.9% were classed as small, 44.4% as large and 17.7% as giant. Ischemic complications and parent artery occlusion each occurred in 10% of patients. Aneurysm rupture rate was 3.5%, while the cumulative mortality was 4.9%. The main outcome measure, 12 month AOR, was 81.8% with complete occlusion in 216 out of 264 aneurysms. Use of flow diverters for the treatment of intracranial aneurysm with complex morphologies has gained in popularity over the last few years. Our review suggests that SFD achieves comparable AOR to its contemporary, the Pipeline Embolization Device (ev3 Endovascular, Plymouth, MN, USA) but has a higher rate of higher rate of ischemic complications, aneurysm rupture and mortality.
Can alcohol consumption be an alternative treatment for fibromyalgia

Treatment of chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia is challenging due to limitations of drug therapies. An initial exploration into the relationships between self-reported alcohol consumption, symptom severity, and quality of life for individuals with fibromyalgia sheds new light on plausible hypotheses and potential mechanisms of action for future research. Evidence suggests that alcohol consumption may improve social and psychological factors because of activity in the ascending and descending pain pathways in modulating gamma-aminobutyric acid neurotransmission. Further methodologically rigorous studies in this field to improve well-being of individuals with fibromyalgia are warranted.
Motor Development: Core Curricular Concepts

Motor developmentalists study the processes that underlie change in behavior. There are at least two fundamental ways in which theory and data emanating from motor development are critical components of what undergraduate kinesiology majors should know. First is an emphasis on the lifespan. We are very different organisms as we progress through life; understanding how and why a behavior developed into the pattern we see helps us understand it better at any unique point in time. Second is the emphasis on the interaction of multiple factors on emergent behaviors. Interdependency is fundamental, regardless of the subsystem or age group of interest. Incumbent upon us as teaching faculty is to reinforce within and across our subdisciplines that our content is interrelated and must be integrated in order to fully understand concepts, contextualize the information, and creatively solve problems, whether they are clinical, instructional, or purely scientific.
Graphene-based field-effect transistor structures for terahertz applications

We propose Terahertz (THz) plasmonic devices based on linearly integrated FETs (LFETs) on Graphene. LFET structures are advantageous for (THz) detection since the coupling between the THz radiation and the plasma wave is strongly enhanced over the single gate devices and accordingly higher-order plasma resonances become possible. AlGaN/GaN heterostructure LFETs with their high sheet carrier concentration and high electron mobility are promising for plasmonic THz detection. Nevertheless, our numerical studies show that room temperature resonant absorption of THz radiation by the plasmons in AlGaN/GaN LFETs is very weak even if the integration density is sufficiently large. Our simulations also demonstrate that similar LFETs on Graphene, which has very large electron mobility, can resonantly absorb THz radiation up to 5th harmonic at room temperature. Additionally, we investigated LFETs with integrated cavities on Graphene. Such Periodic Cavity LFETs substantially enhance the quality factor of the resonant modes.
Innovation Without Borders

the pack and “thinks different.” Quite surely, that famous advertising byline helped win the computer maker, Apple, ultimate iconic status of innovator as the ultimate iconoclast. Equally famously, Apple Computer made its system incompatible with the prevailing standard: you were either with the nearly 90% of users whose PCs ran on Microsoft Windows or aligned with Apple’s unique system. Apple’s chief, Steve Jobs, had declared his objective to “put a ding in the universe”; he certainly did so by banging into the sides of much bigger competitors: Microsoft, IBM, HP, Dell, among many others. The Us vs. Them image of the innovator is not limited to Apple alone. The popular idea of the innovator as the “disruptor”—and the many examples of companies on the Web or from emerging markets that have, indeed, disrupted long standing incumbents—has reinforced the competitive facet of innovation. And the metaphors keep coming: making the competiton irrelevant; innovate—or die. In fact, it is often remarked that some of the best-known innovative companies hire attorneys with as much zest as in their hiring of scientists and engineers. In the midst of all of these images of zero-sum innovation, the critical role of consensus, cooperation and coordination in most successful innovations may have been overlooked. Last year, the percentage of successful innovative products that were developed or commercialized with others was as high as 79%. The total return to shareholders for companies that adopted a collaborative approach to innovation was on average 1.6 times that of more insular innovators. Collaboration also led to better outcomes for users of the innovative products: the clinical survival rates of patients who use products from externally sourced programs in pharmaceuticals are twice the survival rates of patients served by products of internally sourced programs. The importance of outsiders in the innovation process often begins with the very idea that ultimately becomes a winning innovation. The office supplies retailing giant, Staples, had aspirations to boost its sales from highly appealing private label merchandise. One of its hottest recent products is the Wordlock, predicated on the simplest of ideas: people remember combinations of letters that spell familBhaskar Chakravorti
The architecture of active zone material at the frog's neuromuscular junction

Active zone material at the nervous system's synapses is situated next to synaptic vesicles that are docked at the presynaptic plasma membrane, and calcium channels that are anchored in the membrane. Here we use electron microscope tomography to show the arrangement and associations of structural components of this compact organelle at a model synapse, the frog's neuromuscular junction. Our findings indicate that the active zone material helps to dock the vesicles and anchor the channels, and that its architecture provides both a particular spatial relationship and a structural linkage between them. The structural linkage may include proteins that mediate the calcium-triggered exocytosis of neurotransmitter by the synaptic vesicles during synaptic transmission.
A Sudden Increase in Expired Nitrogen Diagnosis and Management of a Bronchial-Gastric Fistula

SUDDEN changes in nitrogen concentrations in inspired or expired gases can provide important diagnostic information. When end-tidal nitrogen concentration increases, an immediate search for a source of air entrainment is imperative. Venous air embolus, the most life-threatening cause of an increase in end-tidal N 2 concentration, must be distinguished from other sources of air. Increased expired N 2 can also originate from vaporizers, humidifiers, or air entrained from leaks in anesthesia circuits or gas sampling equipment. In this patient, a sudden increase in end-tidal N 2 concentration was caused by an undiagnosed bronchial-gastric fistula. The presence of end-tidal N 2 established a definitive diagnosis of a fistula, helped localize the fistula, and later confirmed endoscopic closure of the distal bronchial - gastric fistula.
Release of mercury halides from KCl denuders in the presence of ozone

Abstract. KCl-coated denuders have become a standard method for measurement of gaseous oxidized mercury, but their performance has not been exhaustively evaluated, especially in field conditions. In this study, KCl-coated and uncoated quartz denuders loaded with HgCl2 and HgBr2 lost 29–55% of these compounds, apparently as elemental mercury, when exposed to ozone (range of 6–100 ppb tested). This effect was also observed for denuders loaded with gaseous oxidized mercury at a field site in Nevada (3–37% of oxidized mercury lost). In addition, collection efficiency decreased by 12–30% for denuders exposed to 50 ppb ozone during collection of HgCl2. While data presented were obtained from laboratory tests and as such do not exactly simulate field sampling conditions, these results indicate that the KCl denuder oxidized mercury collection method may not be as robust as previously thought. This work highlights needs for further testing of this method, clear identification of gaseous oxidized mercury compounds in the atmosphere, and development of field calibration methods for these compounds.
FINANCIAL APPLICATIONS OF LEARNING FROM HINTS

The basic paradigm for learning in neural networks is 'learning from examples' where a training set of input-output examples is used to teach the network the target function. Learning from hints is a generalization of learning from examples where additional information about the target function can be incorporated in the same learning process. Such information can come from common sense rules or special expertise. In financial market applications where the training data is very noisy, the use of such hints can have a decisive advantage. We demonstrate the use of hints in foreign-exchange trading of the U.S. Dollar versus the British Pound, the German Mark, the Japanese Yen, and the Swiss Franc, over a period of 32 months. We explain the general method of learning from hints and how it can be applied to other markets. The learning model for this method is not restricted to neural networks.
Macrotransposition and Other Complex Chromosomal Restructuring in Maize by Closely Linked Transposons in Direct Orientation

Several observations indicate that compatible ends of separate, yet closely linked, transposable elements (TEs) can interact in alternative transposition reactions. First, pairs of TEs cause chromosome breaks with frequencies inversely related to the intertransposon distance. Second, some combinations of two TEs produce complex rearrangements that often include DNA adjacent to one or both elements. In pairs of TEs in direct orientation, alternative reactions involving the external ends of the two TEs should lead to the transposition of a macrotransposon consisting of both elements plus the intervening chromosomal segment. Such macrotransposons have been hypothesized previously based on deletions, but no macrotransposon insertions have been recovered. To detect macrotransposition, we have analyzed heritable chromosomal rearrangements produced by a chromosome-breaking pair of Ac and Ds elements situated 6.5 kb apart in direct orientation in a part of the maize (Zea mays) genome dispensable for viability. Here, we show that the postulated macrotransposon can excise and reinsert elsewhere in the genome. In addition, this transposon pair produces other complex rearrangements, including deletions, inversions, and reshuffling of the intertransposon segment. Thus, closely linked TE pairs, a common transposition outcome in some superfamilies, are adept at restructuring chromosomes and may have been instrumental in reshaping plant genomes.
Multinomial Distribution and Ascertainment by Sex

New ascertainment models taking into account partitioning by sex and without any constraint concerning dominance of alleles are proposed. These originate beginning from two major pathways. The first pathway assumes independence and that the family sizes for both males and females are known. The second pathway assumes dependence and that only the total family size is known. Ascertainment probabilities based on several different types of dependence are found. Results are obtained for incomplete multiple ascertainment.
Progesterone receptors - animal models and cell signaling in breast cancer: Progesterone's role in mammary gland development and tumorigenesis as disclosed by experimental mouse genetics

The progesterone receptor knockout mouse demonstrated progesterone's importance to parity-induced mammary tertiary branching and lobuloalveologenesis. Because early parity provides significant protection against breast cancer whereas prolonged exposure to premenopausal ovarian progesterone (or to postmenopausal supplementations thereof) has been linked to breast cancer risk, this steroid can be considered to exhibit contrasting roles in breast cancer etiology. This review describes the important mouse models that have contributed to our understanding of progesterone's role in mammary gland development and neoplasia. We conclude by emphasising the urgent need to identify the molecular targets of the progesterone receptor, and to determine whether these targets are modulated differently by the progesterone receptor isoforms (A and B) during mammary morphogenesis and tumorigenesis.
African rice in the Columbian exchange.

Most studies of the Columbian Exchange have not appreciated the significance of Africans in establishing plant domesticates in the Americas. African plants traversed the Atlantic as provisions aboard slave ships and slaves proved instrumental in their establishment in the New World as preferred food staples. This paper identifies the diverse crops domesticated in Africa, the intercontinental plant exchanges between Africa and Asia that occurred in the millennia before the Columbian Exchange and the role of African indigenous knowledge in establishing rice in the Americas.
Southwestern Corn Borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) Damage and Aflatoxin Accumulation in Maize

Aflatoxin, a potent carcinogen, is produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus Link: Fr. Drought, high temperatures, and insect damage contribute to increased levels of aflatoxin contamination in corn, Zea mays L. Plant resistance is widely considered a desirable method of reducing aflatoxin contamination. Germplasm lines with aflatoxin resistance have been developed. This investigation was undertaken to determine whether crosses among these lines exhibited resistance to southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandiosella Dyar, and to assess the effects of southwestern corn borer feeding on aflatoxin accumulation. Differences in ear damage among southwestern corn borer infested hybrids were significant. Estimates of general combining ability effects indicated that the lines Mp80:04, Mp420, and Mp488 contributed to reduced ear damage, and SC213 and T165 contributed to greater damage when used in hybrids. Mean aflatoxin levels were 254 ng/g for hybrids infested with southwestern corn borer larvae and 164 ng/g for noninfested hybrids in 2000 when environmental conditions were conducive to aflatoxin production. In contrast, the overall mean aflatoxin level for southwestern corn borer infested hybrids was only 5 ng/g in 1999 when environmental conditions did not favor aflatoxin accumulation. Crosses that included lines selected for aflatoxin resistance as parents (Mp80:04 and Mp313E) exhibited lower levels of aflatoxin contamination both with and without southwestern corn borer infestation in 2000. Only the experimental line Mp80:04 contributed significantly to both reduced southwestern corn borer damage and reduced aflatoxin contamination.
Effects of hypercapnia on prostanoid and cAMP production by cerebral microvascular cell cultures

In the newborn pig cerebral circulation, arteriolar dilation in response to hypercapnia requires the presence of intact endothelium and is accompanied by an indomethacin-sensitive increase in cortical adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP). The effects of short-term hypercapnia on production of dilator prostanoids and cAMP were investigated using newborn pig cerebral microvascular smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells cultured both separately and in noncontact coculture. Microvascular smooth muscle cells respond to hypercapnia (pH 7.00 +/- 0.05 PCO2 75 +/- 3 mmHg) by a 1.3- to 1.7-fold increase in basal cAMP production that is not affected by indomethacin, whereas hypercapnia and 80 mM sodium propionate do not affect iloprost-stimulated cAMP production. Microvascular endothelial cells cultured on Millicel inserts respond to hypercapnia by a two- to fourfold increase in prostacyclin (as 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha) and prostaglandin E2 production in both luminal and abluminal compartments. For noncontact coculture, Millicel inserts with endothelial cells (as hypercapnia-sensitive producers of prostanoids) were installed into cell culture dishes with aspirin-pretreated smooth muscle cells (as targets for endothelium-derived dilator prostanoids). Exposure of noncontact microvascular cell cocultures to hypercapnia results in a three- to fourfold stimulation of prostanoid and cAMP production. Therefore, short-term hypercapnia increases cAMP production by microvascular smooth muscle cells via 1) a direct (prostanoid independent) mechanism and 2) an endothelial-dependent pathway that involves prostanoids. Endothelium-produced prostanoid signals are necessary for a full increase in cAMP production by cerebral microvascular smooth muscle cells in response to hypercapnia.
Extended hydrogen bond network enabled superbases.

New superbases, those organic compounds whose basicities are greater than that of proton sponge, are suggested that involve extended hydrogen-bonding networks. Addition of aminoethyl and related groups to the 1,8-diaminonaphthalene framework provide second- and third-layer hydrogen bonding in the conjugate base. DFT computations predict these compounds to be 10–15 kcal mol–1 more basic than the proton sponge.
The effectiveness of etanercept in treating cutaneous sarcoidosis: a case report 1

Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous disease characterized histologically by granulomas affecting various tissues with predilection for lungs and mediastinal lymph nodes. Although the etiology is still unknown, pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-alpha, seem to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis and exacerbation of sarcoidosis via prolonged stimulation of immunologic cellular activity. Patients with late stage sarcoidosis often suffer from irreversible fibrosis at the site of involvement. Treatment options are limited, and patients are often treated with systemic corticosteroids that are associated with significant side effects. To date, no curative treatment exists for this disorder. Etanercept is a soluble TNF-alpha receptor that has well-studied clinical effects in other inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. We report a patient with disseminated cutaneous sarcoidosis successfully treated with etanercept, suggesting that TNF-alpha may be an attractive target for anti-cytokine intervention.
Continuous And Discontinuous Finite Element Methods For Elastic Wave Propagation

There is currently an increasing interest in numerical seismology for the high-order Finite Element Methods to simulate the propagation of elastic waves in geophysical models. Two methods that are particularly suited for this problem are the Spectral Element and the Discontinuous Galerkin Methods. Unfortunately their accuracy and stability are not well understood. We study their stability and accuracy, and present numerical results for benchmark problems and realistic models.
A Biobotic Distributed Sensor Network for Under-Rubble Search and Rescue

Utilizing the latest neural engineering developments, researchers have enabled biobotic insects that function as search-and-rescue agents to help map under-rubble environments and locate survivors and hazardous conditions. The Web extra at http://youtu.be/oJXEPcv-FMw is a video in which authors Alper Bozkurt, Edgar Lobaton, and Mihail Sichitiu demonstrate the acoustic steering of roach biobots to search for disaster victims trapped under rubble.
An Anterior Extraperitoneal Muscle-Splitting Approach for Pediatric Renal Surgery

AbstractWe describe the successful use of an anterolateral, muscle-splitting technique. In the pediatric patient impressive exposure allows for renal pelvic and distal ureteral operations, obviating the necessity for a secondary lower incision. Additional benefits of this incision have been minimal nerve root irritation, incisional pain and muscular weakness.
Book Review: Social Relations in Ottoman Diyarbekir, 1870–1915

Social Relations in Ottoman Diyarbekir, 1870-1915 offers new, microhistoric and non-nationalist perspectives on the late 19th century history of the province of Diyarbekir. Focusing on a period dominated by violent conflicts between the authorities and various local elites and population groups of the region – urban Muslims, Kurds, Armenians, Syrian Christians and others – this book offers new insights into the social history of the region and the origins of the Armenian and Kurdish "Questions", which were to gain such prominence in the 20th century. This book is one of the important sources to understand the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire, and especially in the Diyarbekir region.
The Supply Side

On the supply side of loanable funds, we must identify the factors that differentiate lenders from borrowers. Contrary to borrowers, lenders are willing to sacrifice consumption today for even greater consumption tomorrow. They make this intertemporal exchange for a number of reasons.
Unintended Immunological Consequences of Biologic Therapy

Recent advances in the understanding of immune dysregulation in autoimmune diseases have enabled the development of new monoclonal antibody-based drugs called biologics. Biologics have been used to target aberrant immune responses in many diseases, but patients with rheumatologic and other autoimmune diseases have benefited the most and improvements in outcomes have been significant. The use of biologics is not without hazard, however, as these agents block immune pathways adapted to protect the host. This has been borne out by increased rates of infections as well as induction of new autoimmune and hematologic adverse effects. As new drugs for the treatment of autoimmune conditions are entering the pipeline, it is incumbent on the practicing immunologist to understand the mechanism of these biologics and the implications of clinical use.
Use of Extracorporeal Support in Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Secondary to Ehrlichiosis

Ehrlichiosis, caused by transmission of Ehrlichia chaffeensis to humans through the bite of an infected lone star tick, can lead to secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a life-threatening condition caused by uncontrolled activation of the cellular immune system. We describe a child with HLH secondary to ehrlichiosis who developed multiorgan failure and was successfully managed with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). A 9-year-old boy developed headaches, fever, and sore throat after suspected tick exposure. He presented with pancytopenia, elevated ferritin, and soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels, all consistent with HLH. Bone marrow biopsy revealed hemophagocytosis. Polymerase chain reaction was positive for E chaffeensis . He developed acute kidney injury, coagulation failure, hepatic insufficiency, and progressive respiratory failure requiring intubation. Due to refractory hypoxemia, he was cannulated for veno-venous ECMO. Continuous veno-venous hemofiltration was used to manage acute kidney injury and fluid overload. He received doxycycline and dexamethasone/etoposide for treatment of ehrlichiosis and HLH, respectively. Plasma exchange was used for thrombocytopenia-associated multiple organ failure. The patient was decannulated after 140 hours of ECMO and subsequently transferred for inpatient rehabilitation after extubation. Review of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Registry database identified 6 patients with tickborne diseases who received ECMO for organ support (survival in 3 of 6); ehrlichiosis was not reported in any of these cases. ECMO likely allowed a platform for stabilization and additional therapeutic interventions in this patient.
Registering perspective contours with 3-D objects without correspondence, using orthogonal polynomials

The paper proposes aligning perspective contours with 3D objects without knowledge of the correspondence between 2D image points and a projected 3D model, by matching some global image characteristics from the images. It was found that simply using image moments was not sufficient for registration, but converting the image with orthogonal polynomials gave good results. The proposed approach only requires computational complexity of O(n), where n is the number of image contour points to be aligned, and provides the flexibility of not requiring the same number of 2D and 3D points. Furthermore, convergence regions for finding numerical solutions are enlarged significantly by using central moments. Global convergence is achieved using 64 different initial guesses. Experiments with Monte Carlo analysis of three different objects with different movements have been conducted to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The results of using three different orthogonal polynomials: Chebyshev, Gram and Legendre polynomials at three different noise levels are also compared.
Epithelial derived-matrix metalloproteinase (MMP9) exhibits a novel defensive role of tumor suppressor in colitis associated cancer by activating MMP9-Notch1-ARF-p53 axis

Colitis associated cancer (CAC) is chronic inflammation driven colon cancer, prevalent among individuals with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Matrix-metalloproteinase (MMP9) is one of the essential regulators of extra cellular matrix components. We have shown that MMP9 is protective in CAC contrary to its inflammatory role in acute-colitis. Aim of our study is to identify the mechanism of the protective role of epithelial derived-MMP9 in CAC. We used homozygous transgenic mice constitutively-expressing MMP9 in colonic-epithelium (TgM9) and wild-type (WT) littermates for in vivo experiments. Stably-transfected HCT116 with/without MMP9, and mouse embryonic-fibroblasts (WT and MMP9-/-, MEFs) were used for in vitro experiments. TgM9 mice exhibited less tumor burden, increased apoptosis, and increased expressions of active-Notch1, p53, p21WAF1/Cip1, caspase-3 and cyclin E in CAC compared to WTs. These results were supported by MEFs data. HCT116-cells overexpressing MMP9 indicated decreased cell proliferation, S-phase cell-cycle arrest and less DNA damage compared to vector. MMP9-/- mice showed attenuation of MMP9 was directly associated with p19ARF. Our study identifies the tumor suppressor role of epithelial derived-MMP9 in CAC via novel mechanistic pathway "MMP9-Notch1-ARF-p53 axis" regulating apoptosis, cell-cycle arrest and DNA damage implying, that MMP9 expression might be a natural/biological way to suppress colonic ulceration due to chronic inflammation.
Network organization paradigm

Fervent communication on social networking sites provides opportunities for potential issues to trigger individuals into individual action as well as the attraction and mobilization of like-minded individuals into an organization that is both physically and virtually emergent. Examples are the rapid pace of Arab Spring and the diffusion rate of the Occupy Movement. We intend to view this as a complex adaptive system where diverse agents perform various actions without adherence to a predefined structure. The achievement of joint actions will be a result of continual interactions between them that shape a dynamic network. Agents may form an ad hoc organization based on a dynamic network of interactions for the purpose of achieving a long-term objective, which we termed as a Network Organization (NO).
Cursed Victory: Israel and the Occupied Territories: A History: Bregman, Ahron, New York: Pegasus Books 424 pp, $28.95, ISBN 978-1-60598-780-4 Publication Date: May 2015

In just six days in June 1967, Israel achieved its greatest military victory over its Arab enemies, decisively defeating the armies of Egypt, Syria, and Jordan and capturing the Sinai Peninsula, th...
Transdisciplinary Engineering Education And Research Model

Since the medievel times the critical leading role of science has been a) to challenge the entrenched conceptions of human reason and b) to introduce new methods of investigation for deeper understanding of nature of things. Once again a scientists, critical thinkers, and engineers are indtroducing new notions in the transdisciplinary arena from which new generation of intellectual and physical analysis and synthesis tools and techniques will be produced.These tools and techniques will take the form in which science, engineering, and management notions would be fused into a unified transdisciplinary entities. These developments in integrated design and process science would in turn, once again, transform the human scene beyond recognition.